Page 32 - Reflexions of African Bishops and Priests

own eyes, so that I could personally hear and on the what can we bring you?” But this is family! When a
return to Abidjan, we will sit and assess this congress, family is solid, when a family is united, we no longer
and see how to announce and diffuse social credit in know who is the father, mother and grandchildren.
the Ivory Coast. Thank you, Eminence, for this invita- Thank you for the spirit of family.
tion. Yes, brothers and sisters, for one week we have
My gratitude goes to the Direction of the Louis studied social credit in the light of the social doctrine
Even Institute of and its General-Directress, Therese of the Church. There also, I would like to say thank
Tardif, and also to the great family of the Pilgrims of you to the principal animator (Mr. Alain Pilote). I have
St. Michael. I admire your patience and your courage, studied the Compendium of the social doctrine of the
because for me it was not obvious that I would be at Church, but from the way that this congress organ-
this Congress — I was too busy, I had too many activ- izes things, I must admit that I learned much. Why?
ities. Miss Tardif and Mr. Lefebvre may remember that Because everything is so simple that there were no
the airplane ticket was changed three times because secrets, there was nothing complicated, there were no
there was an ordination of three bishops in the Ivory learned words in French, Latin or other languages…
Coast (at the end of August) and out of the three new Everything was simple and when it is simple, we
bishops, there was one who was in my ecclesiastical understand. So, thank you for that. In one week I learn-
province and it is I who had to introduce him during ed a lot and now I only have to pass on what I have
the ceremony. I could not be absent. So we had to learned.
change the dates of my ticket. And before coming they Eminence, Miss General-Directress of the Louis
said to me (I will not say the name of the person): “So Even Institute, thank you for having invited and hon-
you are going, but now we need you because there ored my person, because on this stage, I represent
are files that need your attention… so how will we do three institutions: I represent my diocese — I am the
this?” I said: “I gave my word; there is no question archbishop of a big diocese (Korhogo) in the north of
of saying that I will not go to the Congress (of the Pil- the Ivory Coast. Within the Episcopal conference of
grims of St. Michael). I go to the Congress for the first the Ivory Coast, I am the vice-president (of this confer-
time, let me rest, that’s all.” Thank you to the Direction ence). And for the last eleven years I have been also
of the Pilgrims of St. Michael for this invitation. the president of the Episcopal Commission of Justice
Thank you for the way you have organized this and Peace. I will have to report, I will have to give the
Congress. Because, even as I was arriving I had some outcome (of this Congress) to my dioceses in Korhogo,
apprehensions: is this a congress where we will run, once I have returned. At the Episcopal conference,
we will not rest or will wake up at five in the morning there will be two voices: the voice of the father (Car-
and leave at eleven in the evening — like it happens dinal Agre) and the voice of the son (myself). When the
elsewhere. We will eat at impossible hours, or we will father takes the floor, the son will support him. And if
be late and there will be nothing to eat… You see. it’s the son who takes the floor, it will be the father who
But I realized that the organizers had everything well- supports him. And be certain, Social Credit is already
planned and as I find myself in this Congress, I am not known in the Ivory Coast by the minority, in three years
stressed, I sleep well — and when we sleep well, we it will be known (by the majority) and for this, you must
work well! So, Miss Directress, thank you for the per- trust us.
fect organization, for the great planning and each year Brothers and sisters, a mission has been con-
if you invite me, I will come! fided to me at the finalization of this conference:
I would like to thank you not only for the invita- to be a missionary and an apostle for the Pilgrims
tion but also for the reception and sharing. Mr. Louis of St. Michael. Yes, if the Cardinal wanted me to
Even left a heritage and you are managing this herit- come to this congress, it is because he knows what
age well, thanks to your faith, your intelligence, thanks I am capable of. He did not invite me by chance…
to the love you have for God and for your neighbor. It He knows that with his (spiritual) “grandson”, my
is the first time that I see at a Congress; youth, adults, friend Fr. Patrice Savadogo, the chaplain of Justice
old people, aged people; it is the first time since I am and Peace and without forgetting the lay people from
a priest and bishop — I go often to Rome and Africa the Ivory Coast who came to this congress, he can
to take part in different congresses but it is rare to see rely on us so that social credit will become known
adults and old people, it is rare to see young people in the Ivory Coast. But to conclude, we have a say-
and I understand this because if we must run all day, ing which states: “Let’s sleep on it.” Once back in
then we cannot invite adults and parents! But here, the Ivory Coast, around our father the Cardinal, we
I find myself in a family where everyone is at ease, will sit down, reflect and associate with Justice and
where each person feels at home. When we have a Peace and with our friends, so that we may create an
meal, one says to the other: “Here is your plate, go organization that will allow us to make social credit
serve yourself.” When we see an adult, we hurry to known. Thank you for the invitation, thank you for
give him a place. We who are bishops, when we see everything and we will see you very soon!
the Cardinal, we are already hurrying: “Eminence, Most. Rev. Marie Daniel Dadiet

32 2009 session www.michaeljournal.org