- Nigeria, Lagos Archdiocese to play host to Vatican’s Prefect of Dicastery for Communication, Bishops of Africa, Madagascar and Islands
- Bishop Badejo harps on promoting Synodal Church in Africa through Social Communications
The Catholic Bishops of Africa, Madagascar and the Islands under the auspices of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference for Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) have unveiled the activities for the 50th anniversary of the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS) scheduled to hold between November 19 and 20, 2023 in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Nigeria. The President of CEPACS, member of the Dicastery for Communication and Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Nigeria, Most Rev. (Dr.) Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, in an exclusive chat with The Catholic Herald Weekly newspaper disclosed that the golden anniversary of CEPACS has been designed to further promote the synodal Church in Africa through social communications.
He said, “The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Paolo Ruffini, Prefect for the Dicastery for Communications, Vatican. The event will also be graced by dignitaries and many Bishops, especially the Bishops who represent the regions of SECAMS. “SECAM works through the eight different regions in which the countries of Africa have been configured for better management and operation. The theme of the assembly in Lagos is, “CEPACS at 50: Towards promoting a Synodal Church in Africa through Social Communication.” “That is in respect to the ongoing Synod in Africa, the purpose of which is to find an easier means for every segment of the Church to participate in the life of the Church. That every segment be given access, be given voice, and be given a place and recognition in the affairs of the Church, right of doing the work of evangelisation, the work of charity and so on and so forth. Most importantly, that every segment of the Church be given the attention it requires to attain holiness, and eventually, to attain salvation.
“It will also host different important segments of the media through their representatives. And I mean traditional media; the print media, the broadcast media and including even the digital media; the new media of our day, hoping that bringing them all together will help CEPACS to chart a new course for the future in collaboration with Dicastery of Social Communications in the Vatican.” According to Bishop Badejo, the two-day celebration will commence with Opening Mass at the Holy Cross Cathedral on November 19, 2023, immediately followed by reception and opening ceremony at the premises of the Cathedral and Lumen Christi Television Network while the Assembly will hold the next day, November 20, 2023. CEPACS’ President further disclosed that the Chief Host of the golden anniversary celebration is Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins.
Bishop Badejo, added, “We are happy about this and we are praying that we have a successful assembly, and that this will be a new way of thriving of the mission apostolate in the Church from all over Africa and Madagascar.” CEPACS was established in 1973 by SECAM to promote evangelisation in the African Continent through the utilisation of modern means of mass communication.
