The III Pan-African Catholic Congress revealed five surprising gifts that show how Africa can help reinvent the Church’s mission and prophetic witness for the 21st century. ❝ “The footprints of God in Africa trace the path toward a flourishing future shaped by an African Church confident in her gifts. This is a Church that invests in her own assets, renews…
Introduction The Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN) is a community in motion, a testament to the power of a synodal Church in Africa. The network’s 3rd Congress, held in Abidjan from August 5 to 10, 2025, was a profound “lived experience of synodality.” Guided by the spirit of the Synod on Synodality and the Jubilee Year, the theme…
At the III Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress in Abidjan, a bold and inspiring message emerged; one that challenges the long-standing portrayal of Africa as a continent of despair. The “Hope for Africa” declaration is more than a statement; it’s a manifesto for transformation. It envisions the African Church not as a follower, but as a global leader—demanding transparency, accountability, and…
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – August 09, 2025 The Church in Africa, through the voices of the members of the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network, has once again raised its voice in prayer and commitment to proclaim that it is not just a Church that carries the weight of history but also the promise of the future. After five days…
Issued at the Conclusion of the III Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress on Theology, Society, and Pastoral Life Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire — August 10, 2025 Preamble: A Jubilee of Hope for Africa and the World We, the delegates of the III Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress: bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated women and men, lay leaders, theologians, youth, Catholic communicators, and partners in…
Abidjan – August 8, 2025 Celebration of Hidden History At the III PACTPAN Jubilee Congress of the Pan-African Theology, Society, and Pastoral Life in Abidjan, the quiet and unnoticed strength of African Catholic women of faith is finally stepping into the light. For decades, they have built communities, nurtured hope, and served the Church with devotion, often without recognition. Now,…
Abidjan – August 8, 2025 Calls for Spiritual Leadership, Self-Reliance, and Deeper Communion with Christ At the ongoing PACTPAN Jubilee Congress, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary for the Evangelisation of Peoples, delivered an exciting call for African Catholics to embrace their mission as a “Church of Sheaves”, a maturing, fruitful Church rooted in Christ and ready to give back to the…
. Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – August 7, 2025 In the hushed hall of the Catholic University of Abidjan, on the second day of the III PACTPAN Jubilee Congress, a moment of renewal began. African clergy, theologians, thinkers, and lay faithful were not merely debating leadership in the Church—they were reimagining it through the lens of lived experience, ancestral wisdom, and theological…
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – August 7 In a bold and transformative gathering at the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN) Jubilee Congress in Abidjan, leading African theologians, bishops, and pastoral agents called for a reimagined Church in Africa—one that speaks with its own voice, walks together in synodality, and reclaims its cultural and spiritual identity. ❝ People need a…
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – In an inspiring homily during the liturgical celebration for the III Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress on Theology, Society and Pastoral Life which is also the day marking Côte d’Ivoire’s Independence Day, in the auditorium of Catholic University of Abidjan, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo the President of SECAM made a passionate call to the delegates of the Pan-African…