SECAM Calls For Renewal of Evangelisation

The President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and Archbishop of Kinshasa, Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo has called on the Church in Africa to renew its commitment to evangelisation across the continent and its islands. He made this call at the 2024 SECAM DAY celebration which was in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the canonization of the Martyrs of Uganda under the theme: You Africans are Missionaries to Yourselves. He said the Church in Africa has experienced growth, representing about 18 percent of the African population with around 256 million believers. He noted, despite this feat, many Africans are still unreached by the Gospel. He posited, that Christians make up 30 percent of the African population therefore the continued need for evangelisation not only to new believers but also reinforcing the faith of those already baptized. “In fact, it is necessary to help those already baptized to maturity of faith and in their conviction in following Christ, so that they remain firm, even in times of crisis, and avoid looking for solutions either in African Traditional Religions or in Independent Churches,” he said. He emphasised that in the mission of evangelisation of the African Continent, inculturation of the Gospel and the Christian faith must be taken into consideration. “The Gospel message cannot remain alien to the people with whom it lives. It must take root and be reshaped in people's thinking. It has to be integrated into people's lives in such a way that it acquires a home in their culture so that it can and thus touch their whole lives in their own social environment”, he said. Cardinal Ambongo noted that the Catholic Church in Africa has been a champion of human development giving life, hope, and a future in places where there are deficiencies. “In the absence of State provision, the Church is concerned with the education and health of its people, providing training centers, hospitals, and health centers. The Church has been involved in the work of being the voice of the voiceless and advocating for the reduction or cancellation of the unjust debt burden of the African people,” he reiterated. He called on all Christians especially Catholics to proclaim Christ wherever they find themselves, noting, “The Church in Africa is aware that she is called to bear witness to Christ not only on the continent because the Risen Lord also says to her: 'You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth' (Acts 1:8). Therefore, through her various members, the Church in Africa is supplying missionaries to other regions of the world and this includes diocesan priests, who make themselves available for limited periods as fidei donum.” “The Catholic Church in Africa, born from the preaching of foreign missionaries, is also a Church in mission today, taking part in the evangelisation of the world,” he added. – News Desk Report