The Correspondent of RECOWACERAO NEWS AGENCY, RECONA based in Accra, the capital of Ghana has reported that Africa’s Catholic Bishops have sent a powerful message to Citizens of various Countries Suffering in the continent negatively affected by the incessant Violent Conflict in the land.
Catholic Bishops in Africa have expressed their spiritual solidarity with the people of God suffering the effects of violent conflicts on the continent.
In a statement following their February 11-14 Standing Committee Meeting at the headquarters of the continental Symposium in Ghana’s capital city, Accra, the leadership of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) call for collective action to bring an end to the ongoing conflicts ravaging African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Mozambique, and Sudan.
“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,” SECAM members say in the statement shared with the Catholic media
They add, “We stand with you, pray for you, and continue to call for justice, peace, and reconciliation.”
“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,” the Catholic Church leaders say.
SECAM members further condemn the continued exploitation of Africa’s resources, which have fueled conflict and brought suffering to its people.
“We know that Africa’s rich mineral deposits, truly a potential source of prosperity, have instead continued to be a source of conflict. 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,” Catholic Bishops in Africa lament.
They go on to echo the words of Pope Francis in his January 2023 speech in Kinshasa, DRC, telling those who persist in the scramble for the resources of Africa, “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.”
In a call for unity and reconciliation, SECAM members urge the people of God to embrace the message of Christ, the Prince of Peace.
“As we embrace this Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope, we are reminded that even in the darkest times, hope must never fade. The Jubilee invites us to renew our trust in God, strengthen the bonds of communion, and seek new paths of healing and unity,” Catholic Bishops say about the ongoing Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year.
They add, “The message of Christ, the Prince of Peace, must resound loudly in Africa. We urge all people of goodwill—within the Church a beyond—to be instruments of peace, choosing dialogue over division, love over hatred, and hope over despair.”
Making reference to the multi-year Synod on Synodality that was concluded on 27 October 2024 in Rome, the Catholic Bishops say, “If the Synod on Synodality ever had meaning, this is the time to demonstrate it. The call to walk together as a Church, listening to one another and acting in unity, must become a lived reality. 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,” SECAM members say.
In an appeal for prayer, they urge all African dioceses, parishes, and religious communities to unite in a triduum of prayer and fasting from March 3-5.
“As followers of Christ, we are called to stand together in prayer for those in need and to seek God’s intervention for peace and healing. We urge all believers to dedicate time for prayer, asking the Lord to bring an end to the war, to comfort the afflicted, and to guide our leaders toward justice and reconciliation,” they say.
SECAM members invite “every Diocese, Parish, and religious community in Africa to unite in a triduum of prayer and fasting, each according to their local customs and facilities, from March 3rd to 5 th, 2025.”
“Let us lift our voices to God in unity, trusting that He hears the cries of His people even as we all work fervently for peace,” they further said.
SECAM members implore, “May the Lord grant peace to Eastern Congo and all other lands all regions suffering from conflict.”
They 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 our nations. Amen.”
- A TIMELINE OF POPE FRANCIS’ 12 YEARS AS POPE - March 14, 2025
- AN UPDATE ON THE HEALTH STATUS OF THE HOLY FATHER - March 13, 2025
- THE POPE’S HEALTH GRADUALLY CONTINUES TO IMPROVE - March 12, 2025
