Church in Africa called to bring the Gospel to the world

As African bishops celebrate SECAM Day to mark the organization’s 55th anniversary, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo notes that the Church in Africa has made great strides in the evangelization of the continent. He also emphasizes the synodal dimension of its mission in Africa and the world.

July 30, 2024

By Lisa Zengarini
July 29 marked an important anniversary for the Church in Africa. On that day in 1969, African bishops officially founded the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) to promote their communion and collaboration with the specific mission of evangelizing the entire continent and its islands.

Two days later, on July 31, Pope Paul VI presided over the closing ceremony of the first SECAM meeting in Kampala, during his Apostolic Visit to Uganda (July 31 – August 2, 1969), the first-ever papal visit to Africa.

Since these two historic events, July 29 has been celebrated as SECAM Day. The festivities take place on the Sunday closest to the anniversary, which this year falls on July 28.

“You Africans are missionaries to yourselves.”
The theme chosen for this 55th edition is taken from the memorable words of Paul VI during the opening ceremony on July 31: “You Africans are missionaries to yourselves”.

In a message for the occasion, the President of SECAM, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of Kinshasa, noted that this year’s celebration is particularly important as it coincides with the 60th anniversary of the canonization of the Martyrs of Uganda.

It was after the solemn celebration of Mission Sunday on October 18, 1964, when 22 martyrs were canonized in Rome in the presence of all the participants in the Second Vatican Council, that Pope Paul VI decided to visit the African country.

Also important, he continued, is the theme chosen this year, which underlines that the Church in Africa has taken the “noble” words of Paul VI “very seriously”.

A vibrant ‘mature’ church
Cardinal Ambongo said: “Since that historic papal visit until today, the Church in Africa has grown tremendously, in many ways.”

With its 256 million faithful today, representing 18 percent of the total African population, and still growing at a record pace, along with the number of dioceses, the Catholic Church in Africa “has taken root and is now a mature Church.”

The message recalled that the bulk of the hierarchy today is made up of indigenous clergy, both secular and religious, and that more and more African religious hold leadership positions in these international missionary communities.

Also, “more and more African diocesan priests are beginning to make themselves available for limited periods as fidei donum.”

A champion of human development and voice of the voiceless
Moreover, the Congolese cardinal continues, the Catholic Church has become a “champion of human development” on the continent and is now “the voice of the voiceless” and “advocating for the reduction or cancellation of the unjust debt burden of the African people.”

She is also “vibrantly building herself up as the Family of God and enriching herself with the experience of Small Christian Communities, which are the hallmark of the Church of Jesus Christ in Africa and her islands.”

Inculturation of the Christian faith in Africa
But despite this remarkable growth, “Africa continues to hunger and thirst for Jesus.” Therefore, Cardinal Ambongo emphasizes, Christians, who make up 30% of Africa’s population, must continue to proclaim the Gospel to non-Christians, as called upon by the 1994 Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops.

In this regard, the Archbishop of Kinshase stressed the crucial importance of inculturation, because, he said, “evangelization will only be effective if the Christian faith is deeply rooted in people’s way of life.”

Bringing the Gospel of Hope to Conflict and Poverty-Stricken Africa
Moreover, in light of the many serious problems facing the continent – ​​including poverty, political instability, ethnic and religious conflicts, migration and refugees, corruption, environmental degradation, arms, drug and human trafficking – Christians are called to “radiate the reconciling love of Christ and at the same time become sources of peace and agents of reconciliation for others.”

The Archbishop of Kinshasa stressed that every member of the Church family of God must proclaim the Gospel of Hope, wherever they are. It does not matter whether they are Christians who hold positions of state power or work in the economy.

Witnesses to the Gospel in the Secularized West
The message noted that the Catholic Church in Africa is called to bear witness to the Gospel also to the rest of the world, and in particular to the European continent, “whose missionaries have taken on the task of evangelizing the whole of Africa and which is now facing a reduction in personnel due to secularism that is driving more and more people away from the Church.”

Finally, Cardinal Ambongo emphasizes the importance of the synodal dimension of this missionary effort.

“The Church in Africa, renewed by the synodal journey and consolidated in the spirit of communion lived in small Christian communities, is called, listening to one another and to the Holy Spirit, to embrace the evangelizing mission until it reaches all kinds of peripheries, with new enthusiasm, new methods and renewed structures,” he said.

Finally, the President of SECAM invites all members of the Church in Africa and its islands to use this annual celebration to inform Catholics throughout the continent about the existence and mission of SECAM, so that they can become involved.–Vatican News