- Invites Diocese, Parish, Religious to a Triduum of Prayer and fasting March 3 to 5, 2025
The Standing Committee of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has decried the devastating impact of conflict and violence on the African continent. Illustrating the tragic irony that Africa’s rich mineral deposits, which should be a source of prosperity, have instead become a source of conflict and suffering, the Catholic Bishops in Africa urged global powers to respect the sovereignty and dignity of African nations. They emphasised that the continent is not merely a resource to be exploited, but a vibrant continent of rich cultural heritage and immense potentials.
The SECAM disclosed this in a statement signed by its President, Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, after the Standing Committee’s meeting held from February 12 to 23, 2025, in Accra, Ghana. Reiterating an excerpt of Pope Francis’ speech of January 2023 in Kinshasa, “Hands off the Democratic Republic of Congo! Hands off Africa! Stop choking Africa, it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered,” the prelates cautioned those who persist in the scramble for Africa’s resources to seize their destructive actives.
The SECAM statement expressed worry over powerful nations and multinational corporations fueling armed factions in various African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Sudan to control and appropriate the continent’s resources. The statement read in parts, “The desire to control and appropriate these resources motivates powerful nations and multinational corporations to fund armed factions in some African countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, etc, thereby perpetuating violence, displacement and instability.” This, the episcopacy said has led to widespread violence, displacement, and instability, causing immense suffering for millions of people.
In the face of this overwhelming suffering, the prelates offered a message of hope and solidarity, stressing that the Church acknowledges the pain and anguish of those affected by conflict and violence, and assures them that they are not forgotten. The Bishops stated, “We acknowledge the immense suffering that many of our brothers and sisters are enduring due to conflicts, violence, massacres and instability in various parts of our continent. To all who are bereaved and suffering, we say: “you are not forgotten”. The Church has not abandoned you. We stand with you, pray for you, and continue to call for justice, peace, and reconciliation.”
As the Catholic Church globally embarks on a Jubilee Year, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar also emphasised the importance of hope, synodality, and unity in the face of adversity. The Bishops stressed that even in the darkest times, hope must never fade. The statement read in parts, “The Jubilee invites us to renew our trust in God, to strengthen the bonds of communion, and to seek new paths of healing and unity. The message of Christ, the Prince of Peace, must resound loudly in Africa. ‘We urge all people of goodwill-within the Church and beyond-to be instruments of peace, choosing dialogue over division, love over hatred, and hope over despair.”
The statement further highlighted the significance of the Synod on Synodality, which portrayed the importance of walking together as a Church, listening to one another, and acting in unity. SECAM’s bishops recognised that the challenges facing Africa compel greater collaboration among bishops, priests, religious, and the people of God everywhere. “The challenges before us compel us to greater collaboration among bishops, priests, religious, and the people of God everywhere. No one can stand alone; we are one body in Christ. As shepherds of the Church in Africa, we commit to strengthening the structures of communion and ensuring that the Church remains a voice of truth, justice, and hope in our society.” In the statement, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar also issued a passionate call to prayer, urging Christians across Africa to unite in seeking God’s intervention for peace and healing.
The prelates underscored the importance of standing together in prayer for those in need, particularly in regions affected by conflict and violence. SECAM’s bishops urged all believers to dedicate time for prayer, asking the Lord to bring an end to war, comfort the afflicted, and guide leaders toward justice and reconciliation. To facilitate this united effort, SECAM invited every diocese, parish, and religious community in Africa to participate in a triduum of prayer and fasting from March 3 to 5, 2025. According to this episcopal body, this collective act of devotion will be a powerful expression of faith and a testament to the unity of believers across the continent.
The statement read in parts, “Let us lift up our voices to God in unity, trusting that He hears the cries of His people even as we all work fervently for peace.” SECAM’s bishops went on to entrust the continent of Africa to the maternal care of Our Lady of Africa, invoking God’s blessings upon all people. They prayed “May His peace reign in hearts, homes, and nations. May the Lord grant peace to Eastern Congo and all other lands, all regions suffering from conflict. We entrust our continent, Africa, to the maternal care of Our Lady of Africa and invoke God’s blessings upon all of you. May His peace reign in our hearts, in our homes, and in our nations. Amen.”
