Dark Knights Of The Soul

‘THE numbers of light-skinned Africans bear testament to the sterling work performed by the missionaries who strove to bring God to the Dark Continent.

The reverse missionary

Such a good job did this tireless band of brothers do that, the Telegraph says, there are now about 5,000 men in Nigeria training to be priests.

Compare this to the 18 priests ordained in England and Wales this year, and the single priest ordained in the Diocese of Dublin over the same period, and religion in Africa has never had it so good.

So the Vatican, in its ongoing discussion on ways to “re-evangelise the West”, is debating the introduction of chocolate-flavoured, KitKat-style wafers, sparkling wine and a large-scale exchange of clergy between Europe and Africa.

What this really means is that Brother Wayne will go to Lagos and tens or, perhaps, hundreds of African priests will be despatched to draughty churches in the provinces and heathen inner-city parishes.

Bishop Tom Burns, who was representing the bishops of England and Wales at the recent Vatican-backed conference into the rise of secularism in Europe, said the initiative could become “a kind of reverse missionary effect”.

Or “wheelbarrow position”, as it is known in less enlightened circles…’

Posted: 22nd, November 2004 | In: Uncategorized Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink