Unity among nations, ‘human family’ promoted at Mass honoring Africa Day

Aurore Gbetie, a member of St. Christopher Parish in Indianapolis and a native of the African country of Benin, bows in prayer after receiving the Eucharist during a Mass celebrating Africa Day (or Africa Freedom Day) at St. Rita Church in Indianapolis on June 4. (Photo by Natalie Hoefer)

By Natalie Hoefer

It was not your typical Mass. Many differences stood out: songs were sung in multiple languages, those of numerous nationalities were present, and many of them wore bold and colorful attire representing various African tribes.

Despite the differences, the theme of the Mass was unity.

“From the beginning, God said, ‘Let us create man in our image,’ ” said Marianhill Father Didier Sampungi, parochial vicar of St. Jude Parish in Indianapolis, during the homily. “We are made in the image of God, and we are a unity. We are meant to live in and for community.”

The theme of unity made sense on many levels. The Mass, which was celebrated at St. Rita Church in Indianapolis, honored the 60th anniversary of Africa Day (or Africa Freedom Day), an annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organization of African Unity on May 25, 1963. And the Mass was celebrated on June 4, the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity—the triune God unified as one.

In his homily, Father Didier expounded on the concept of unity among the Trinity, between God and man, and “of the human family.”

‘Our unity is based on love’

“God the Father came to create, God the Son came to reconcile us with his Father, and the Holy Spirit came to unite us as one family,” the Marianhill missionary priest explained during the Mass.

“God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are unified in their love for all of creation, and our unity is based on love for the well-being of all creation, of the human family.”

He noted that while skin color may differ, “we are all made in the image of God, and therefore we are unified.”

But that unity has become broken, Father Didier noted.

“We have become so individualized, and we’ve become broken by segregation and killing,” he said.

The priest, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa, shared a bit of how unity reveals itself in his native culture.

“In the African continent, when you say, ‘This is my brother,’ or ‘This is my sister,’ it doesn’t mean you are in the same family,” he explained. “In Africa, friends are part of your family. Any person in your life is part of your family. …

“As St. Paul said, ‘Cherish one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves,’ [Rom 12:10]. If we treat each other with brotherly love, there will be no more segregation and killing.”

Father Didier closed his homily with a prayer for “peace in the world, and especially in Africa.”

After the Mass, the celebration continued in St. Rita’s parish hall, where homemade, authentic African fare was dished out with joyful smiles.

‘We all share one common belief in Jesus’

A movement was underway among African countries in the 1950s. Their goal was “to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation,” according to Wikipedia.

The first Congress of Independent African States was held in 1958 with nine countries represented. That gathering led to the formation of the Organization of African Unity (now called the African Union) on May 25, 1963. The organization now consists of 55 countries.

“Today, we celebrate our unity as Africans and as Catholics,” said Pearlette Springer, then-archdiocesan coordinator of Black Catholic Ministry, which sponsored the Mass. A letter in the Mass program announced her plans to retire from her role in June.

“There are many Catholic Africans in the archdiocese from many different countries and many different tribes. This Mass honors the efforts toward unity in their native countries, but also the need for the unity of all African Catholics in the archdiocese and in the U.S.”

Dabrice Bartet, a native of Togo in West Africa who helped coordinate the June 4 event, agreed.

“The Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ African Catholic community is quite diverse, speaking many languages with various spiritual traditions,” said the member of St. Monica Parish in Indianapolis, citing 14 African countries “and others we have not yet met.

“Yet, we all share one common belief in Jesus. Our love for one another, desire to be together and desire to participate in the Eucharist together as a single family are all strengthened by our faith in Jesus.”

She said the African Mass “helps most [African Catholics] live their faith in the African spirituality. It is crucial that this be as inclusive as possible because it is the single occasion that unites us as Catholics.

“Observing African Unity Day is crucial for our unity. Today, we remember how determined our grandparents and parents were to free their countries of colonial domination. Aside from the political implications, it is a day of thanksgiving and unity.”

The annual African Mass is also an “opportunity to remind ourselves that the fight for a better future in Africa is still ongoing,” Bartet said. “We must acknowledge and appreciate our shared cultural heritage, strong cultural identity, and individual and communal accomplishments while also recognizing the diversity of our cultures.”

There is another opportunity presented through the archdiocesan-sponsored African Mass, she noted—a chance to evangelize African Catholics who no longer worship at Mass or who have stepped away from the Catholic faith.

“There is a good chance there are [African] Catholics here who are no longer practicing their faith for whatever reason, but who want to celebrate Africa Unity Day,” Bartet said. “This [Mass] is a chance for us to reach out to them and invite them back.”

She delivered that very message in an announcement to the congregation at the end of the Mass, after first recognizing Springer for her seven years of service in the archdiocese.

“And to those of you who might have been away from Mass for a while, we offer an invitation for Catholics to come back,” Bartet said. “We welcome you with open arms.”
 

(Mass in African dialects are offered throughout the year in the archdiocese. Because French is spoken in several African countries, a Mass in French is celebrated at 5 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month at St. Monica Church, 6131 N. Michigan Road in Indianapolis; for more information, call the parish office at 317-253-2193. Mass in Kiswahili and in Kinyawanda are often celebrated at 2 p.m. on the first and third Sundays, respectively, at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 3354 W. 30th St. in Indianapolis; for more information, call the parish office at 317-926-7359.) †