Votum of Bishop James Moynagh of Calabar, Nigeria

Eminentissime Princeps,

Pergratum est mihi haec significare Eminentiae Tuae de aliquibus quae in futuro Concilio tractari debent:

1. De necessitate urgenti mobilitandi vires Ecclesiae ad propagationem Fidei in terris missionariis:

Omnes laborantes in missionibus roborati et confirmati sunt et petitionibus auxilii et litteris encyclicis Augustissimorum Pontificum in hoc xx saeculo, sed praesertim (quantum ad has missiones Africanas) in Enc. Fidei Donum Sanctissimi Patris Nostri felicis memoriae Pii XII.

Nos in missionibus Africanis admirati sumus in eodem documento claritatem expositionis status Ecclesiae temporibus nostris. Valde notabile autem erat huius documenti urgens loquendi genus. Constat enim, in missione Ecclesiae Verbum Salutis praedicandi omnibus hominibus, opus esse celeritate urgenti. Dies enim hodiernus est dies celeritatis in itinere, in communicatione facili idearum per radiotelephoniam instrumentumque televisificum, et in investigationibus materialibus scientificisque.

2. De necessitate administrationis centralis virorum rerumque in Missionibus:

Videtur nonnullis nostrum, talia auspicia ruminatis, quod in Ecclesia ipsa oportet nos habere efficaciorem administrationem centralem, quo possit Ecclesia celerius instruere immensas copias suas in sublevando angustias regionum Africae, M. Americae, Asiae, etc.

Exempli gratia, in multis regionibus Africae fundamenta Ecclesiae iacta sunt et vita christiana crescere incepit; floritio autem vitae Ecclesiae, sine obtemperatione celere terrarum seniorum Catholicarum, graviter tardabitur. 

Nobis videtur, Eminentia Tua, quod in antiquioribus terris Catholicis duplicatio operum saepe obtinet — communitates religiosae interdum se exercent in ministerio pastorali de cuius excellentia nemo dubitat, sed cuius perfunctionis bene capax est clerus dioecesanus — interdum communitates religiosae occupantur in litteris quas iam susceperunt similes communitates.

In agris autem Domini instantes sunt necessitates quibuscum nequit missionarius certare — inopia operariorum peritorum in imprimendo, in radiotelephonia, et in invento televisifico — inopia magistrorum in Universitatibus et scholis superioribus — inopia theologorum et canonistarum — inopia domorum spiritualium exercitiorum necnon moderatorum pietatis pro clero, religiosis et coadiutoribus laicis — inopia institutorum caritatis pro pauperibus infirmisque — atque summa inopia monasteriorum conventuumque contemplativorum per quos vita contemplativa neophytis Christianis introducatur.

Quae opera omnia, etsi gradatim se evolvere in missionibus possint, tardissime tamen hoc facient. Talem evolutionem si exspectemus, valedixerimus tempori opportuno.

Videtur quod Ecclesiae opus sit administratione coordinanti, ad copias communicandas virosque peritos quam celerrime dirigendos in agros Domini vel maxime tempestivos vel maxime auxilio egentes.

Possit haec administratio esse sub forma congregationis dirigentis, sub cura Sancti Patris, opes universae Ecclesiae ad loca indigentissima.

Revera tale auxilium ipsa regimina civilia proposuerunt pro Terris minus progressis, in modo materiali. Habetur nempe Bancum Supranationale ad nationes minus progressas amplificandas in regionibus retardatis — Organisatio cibi sanitatisque ad sublevationes similes faciendas.

Nonne possibile est quod Ecclesia, consimilem administrationem centralem possidens, possit facilius dirigere partibus eius debilioribus immensa robustiorum regionum Catholicorum subsidia? Ad hoc videtur quod organisationes laicorum quae hodie tanta temptant in terris Catholicis, possint ad terras missionarias dirigi, concomitante zeli Catholicorum augmentatione nostris in patriis.

3. De fructibus ulterioribus quae emanabunt e tali mobilisatione:

Non solum distributio sapientior adiumenti magnam afferret utilitatem missionibus Ecclesiae, sed etiam nova suprascriptae administrationis functio, expedita accelerataque, clare demonstrabit mundo unitatem Ecclesiae, et — nunc cum antiqua separatio nationum paulatim forte evanescere videtur — exemplificabit omnibus authenticam omnes inter homines et nationes unitatis fontem.

Volens interim omnem benedictionem benevolentiamque Eminentiae Tuae Commissionique Pontificali,

Adsumus, Eminentiae Tuae servus humilis in Christo,

Oh Most Eminent Prince,

I am very pleased to point out these to Your Eminence concerning some things which should be discussed in the future Council:

1. On the urgent necessity of mobilizing the resources of the Church for the purpose of the propagation of the faith in mission lands:

All persons working in the missions were strengthened and encouraged both by the requests for assistance and by the encyclical letters of the Most Venerable Pontiffs in this twentieth century, but especially (as regards these African missions) in the Encyclical Letter Fidei Donum of Our Most Holy Father Pius XII of blessed memory.

We in the African missions were amazed by the clarity of the exposition of the state Church in our time in the same document. Very remarkable also was the urgent mode of speaking of this document. For it is clear that in the mission of the Church to proclaim the Word of Salvation to all men, there is a need for urgent celerity. For today is the day of speed in voyage, in easy communication of ideas through radiotelephonic and televisual instruments, and in material and scientific investigations.

2. On the necessity of a central administration of human and material resources in missions:

It seems to some of us, considering such auspiciousness, that in the Church itself we need to have a more efficient central administration so that the Church can more quickly deploy its immense resources in alleviating the difficulties of the countries of Africa, South America, Asia, etc.

For example, in many parts of Africa, the foundations of the Church have been laid and Christian life has begun to grow; but the flourishing of the life of the Church without the swift compliance of the older Catholic countries will be gravely retarded.

It seems to us, Your Eminence, that in the older Catholic countries a duplication of works often occurs – religious communities sometimes engage in pastoral ministry whose excellence no one doubts, but which the diocesan clergy is well capable of performing – sometimes religious communities are occupied with educational activities which similar communities have already undertaken.

While in the fields of the Lord there are urgent needs with which a missionary cannot contend – the lack of skilled workers in printing, in radiotelephone, and in televisual invention – the lack of teachers in Universities and high schools – the lack of theologians and canonists – the lack of houses of spiritual exercises as well as of moderators of piety for the clergy, religious, and lay assistants – the lack of charitable institutions for the poor and the sick – and the total lack of contemplative monasteries and convents through which the contemplative life is introduced to Christian neophytes.

All these works, even if they can gradually evolve on their own in missions, will still do this very slowly. If we wait for such an evolution, we will bid farewell to the opportune time.

It seems that there is a need for a coordinating administration of the Church, in order to share the resources and to distribute skilled persons as soon as possible to the fields of the Lord either to the ones most opportune or to those in great need of assistance.

This administration, under the care of the Holy Father, could be in the form of a congregation distributing the resources of the universal church to the most indigent places.

In fact, civil governments themselves have proposed such aid for the less developed countries, in a material way. There is, of course, the Supranational Bank for the development of less developed nations in the retarded regions – [there is] the Food and Health Organization to do similar alleviations.

Is it not possible that the Church, possessing a similar central administration, can more easily direct to its weaker parts the immense reserves of the more robust Catholic regions? To this end, it seems that the laity organizations which are trying so much today in Catholic countries could be directed to the missionary countries, with the concomitant increase of the zeal of Catholics in our native lands.

3. On the additional fruits that will emanate from such a mobilization:

Not only would a more judicious distribution of assistance bring great benefit to the missions of the Church, but in addition, the new execution of the above-mentioned administration, expedited and accelerated, will clearly demonstrate the unity of the Church to the world, and – now, when the old separation of nations seems to be perhaps gradually fading away – she will exemplify to all the authentic source of unity among all people and nations.

In the interim, wishing all blessings and benevolence to Your Eminence and the Pontifical Commission,

Here we are, Your Excellency’s humble servant in Christ,

+ JAMES MOYNAGH
Bishop of Calabar