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Sequel to a long existing confusion in the Church especially in our West African Subregion, some notable Catholic Theologians have expressed concern about the ‘tensions and conflicts” between Dioceses and Religious Communities in the entire African continent.

Tensions between women and men Religious and Bishops in African Catholic Dioceses have led to the closure of some communities of Religious Orders, members of the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN), and the Conference of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (COMSAM) has said.

The two groups of theologians who have organized a series of palavers ahead of the second session of the Synod on Synodality scheduled for 2-29 October 2024 note that in some Dioceses in Africa, charisms of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL), especially those of Nuns, are “not allowed to flourish” because of the conflicts.

“While we thank God for the many contributions of African Religious to the Church, there are signs of tensions and conflicts,” the theologians said in a concept note they shared ahead of their Friday, August 2 palaver.

They added, “From the consultation done by members of our network (PACTPAN and COSMAM) during this synodal journey, we realize that many religious, especially female religious, feel that in some dioceses bishops and priests treat them as if they (the religious) are working for bishops and priests rather than working with them in the Lord’s vineyard.”

“The religious, according to some of our respondents, are thus not respected as equal stakeholders in the dioceses where they work,” the theologians say in their statement shared with the media.

“In a few instances, their charisms are not allowed to flourish because these religious are forced to either abandon their charism or modify it to suit the specific pastoral taste of a particular bishop or priest,” the theologians further say.

The PACTPAN and COMSAM palavers have been running since June 7 and are set to end on September 6. Through the palavers, the theologians and other African experts seek to deepen the understanding of the Synthesis Report that came out of the October 2023 session of the Synod on Synodality.

The August 2 session was structured on the topic, “Relationship between Diocesan Bishops and Men and Women Religious in Africa”.

In their statement ahead of the August 2 palaver, the African theologians refer to the Synthesis Report, which proposes revising the “guiding criteria on the relations between Bishops and Religious in the Church”.

The Synthesis Report proposes studying already existing best practices, of places. It means to promote “meetings and forms of collaboration in a synodal spirit between Episcopal Conferences and the Conferences of Superiors and Major Superiors of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life”.

From investigations that PACTPAN and COMSAM conducted, many religious communities report that in some Catholic Dioceses, Bishops ask them to make compulsory monthly or annual contributions to the Diocese “without any dialogue.”

“These contributions are framed as their ‘contribution to the Church’ as if the Religious are outside the Church,” the theologians said, adding that the contributions impose heavy financial stress and strain on many African religious communities who are already struggling financially.

“Our network also received news of tension between bishops and religious communities in some dioceses in Africa, leading to the closure or suspension of religious communities in some dioceses and the closure of the churches and schools they serve,” reads in part the PACTPAN and COMSAM concept note.

The organizers of the palaver note that the relationship between Religious communities and Local Ordinaries “has been a source of blessing, but also a source of tension in the Church”.

“Religious communities have contributed to the life of the Church, and to the renewal of the Church particularly in times of spiritual, pastoral or doctrinal crisis or decline,” they say, adding that the Church in Africa is blessed with an exponential growth in Religious communities and charisms as well as growth in vocations to Religious Life.

According to the theologians, Religious communities have greatly contributed to the visibility and influence of African religion in pastoral ministries such as education, health, faith formation, social ministry to the poor, and advocacy for those at the existential peripheries.

Additionally, the Religious communities play a role in healing ministries, Catholic books and media, and ministries to prisoners, refugees, migrants, trafficked women, and abused women, the theologians say.

African women and men Religious have been at the forefront of ecological conversion and advocacy for climate justice and climate action as well as in promoting human rights, religious freedom, reconciliation, peace building, good governance, and social transformation, the theologians recall in their statement shared with ACI Africa and made privy to RECONA.

They pose, “How are these ministries being supported and promoted by bishops? How do these ministries in specific dioceses reflect the pastoral needs and plan of the host diocese where these religious live and work?”

The theologians note that given the vastness of the African continent, there is a need to develop proper canonical protocols, procedures, and best practices for the use of the charisms of ICLSAL in Africa; and for recognizing and accepting these Institutes and Societies in Catholic Dioceses.

Rev. Fr. George Nwachukwu
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