Nairobi — In his homily at the conclusion of the Synod for Africa that ended on Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI urged the Church in Africa to have courage and also called for a new evangelization of the continent.

The pontiff assured the continent that it is not alone in this demanding mission and that, "The whole Catholic Church is near you with prayer and active solidarity, and you are accompanied from heaven by the men and women saints of Africa, who with their life - sometimes to the point of martyrdom- have witnessed to total fidelity to Christ."

"Get up, Church in Africa, family of God, because you are being called by the heavenly Father," "Take the journey of a new evangelization with the courage that comes from the Holy Spirit," Benedict XVI said.

He added that the indispensable condition for creating relationships of justice among men, and for building an equitable and lasting peace in respect to every individual and every people is the beginning of true reconciliation.

Referring to the Gospel, which recounts the healing of the blind man Bartimaeus, the pope likened the whole Church to the blind man.

"This is the Church in the world: the community of reconciled persons, workers for peace and justice; 'salt and light' in the midst of the society of men and the nations."

He noted that "God's plan does not change. Through the centuries and the upheavals of history, he always points to the same goal: the Kingdom of freedom and of peace for all."

"The reconciled Church," he said, "is a powerful leaven of reconciliation in individual countries and in the whole African continent."

The 244 Synod fathers, who have been meeting in Rome since October 4, released their final message which contains 57 propositions.