I arrived in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in early August, filled with a theologian’s curiosity about the third Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress. What I found over the next five days was more than an academic gathering; it was a profound journey of faith that began the moment I stepped onto the grounds of the Catholic University of West Africa. Organized by…
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire The Catholic University of West Africa, Abidjan played host to the III PACTPAN Congress, a landmark event that drew together voices across the continent and Europe in a spirited celebration of unity, learning, and renewal within the African Church. Far from a conventional academic gathering, the congress emerged as a dynamic space for intercultural dialogue and theological reflection,…
Contexte des JNJ 2025 La 6e édition des Journées Nationales de la Jeunesse (JNJ) de Côte d’Ivoire se déroule du 19 au 24 août 2025 dans le diocèse de Yamoussoukro, sous le thème : « Mon fils, pourquoi nous as-tu fait cela ? ». Cet événement, initialement prévu en 2020 mais reporté à cause de la crise sanitaire mondiale, Covid-19,…
For more than a century, the global Catholic Church viewed Africa as a vast mission field, a continent in dire need of evangelization and structure. European and North American missionaries arrived to plant the seeds of faith, establishing institutions and proclaiming the Gospel. Today, those seeds have blossomed into a vibrant, self-sustaining Church. From thriving seminaries and religious houses to…
Do not stutter when you speakAnd do not limp when you walkFor you walk with the spirit of God And when you command the morningDo not whisper as though you are uncertainFor you have given that power over life and death What sickness plagues manThat he knows not of whose breath he was forged? How he forgets the crown upon…
Have you been in his gloryWith his presence surrounding youHave you known the envelope of peaceThat comes with gliding through lifeOn his ever-spread-out wings This is what my heart feelsWhen I sit in an empty chapelLeaning upon his graceAnd laying all of my life’s troublesAt the feet of his throne of grace Oh, how I wish I can lend youA…
❝ This gives me great hope, not only for Africa, but for the future of the Church throughout the world.” — Fr. Dowling The III PACTPAN Congress in Abidjan transformed into a vibrant intercontinental dialogue, drawing together Church leaders, theologians, clergy, and laity from Africa, Europe, and North America. Far more than a reunion, the event became a crucible for…
❝ Out of Africa can rise a hope capable of reawakening the whole Church” — Stan Chu Ilo In a recent essay, Carlos Lopes warned of the “structural exhaustion” of the global order. Once-stable arrangements like free trade, multilateral institutions, and geopolitical balance are visibly fraying. Rising protectionism, populist nationalism, climate disruption, and deepening inequality have shaken the rules that…
From Abidjan to South Sudan and Nigeria to Zambia, youth leaders, survivors, and the Church unite to confront modern slavery and build a future of faith, dignity, and transformation. ❝ If we walk together, we can transform obstacles into opportunities.” — Lucien Djodssounoukoun A Congress of Resolve in Abidjan The humid air of Abidjan could not dampen the electric atmosphere…
In a landmark moment for African Catholicism, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) unveiled a sweeping 25-year strategic vision at the III Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress (PACTPAN) in Abidjan. The plan, described by Church leaders as a transformative roadmap, aims to redefine the African Church’s role in evangelisation, leadership, self-reliance, and societal renewal. Developed through years…