“The Challenges of the Church, Family of God in Africa: 30 Years after the Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa”: the archbishops and bishops of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Chad, as well as numerous experts, lecturers, priests, religious men and women are gathered in the capital of Chad, N’Djamena, from 25 January to 1 February 2026 for the 13th Plenary Assembly of the Bishops of Central Africa, 30 years after the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa.
‘Thirty years are not just a chronological indicator, but a time of ecclesial self-examination’. This was expressed by Cardinal Ambongo, Archbishop of Kinshasa, in his capacity as President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar at the opening of the Plenary Assembly: “These past thirty years call us to discern clearly what has borne fruit – in particular, the vision of the Church as the Family of God – and what remains fragile or unfinished.
Above all, they revive the urgency of the mission entrusted to us: to be artisans of reconciliation, justice, peace and hope, in fidelity to the Gospel and in dialogue with the concrete realities of our peoples.‘
For this reason, Cardinal Ambongo points to ’three pastoral priorities that have long guided our thinking and that this Assembly is called to deepen and further structure.”
· The first is the formation of peacemakers: ‘Our seminaries, Catholic universities and lay formation structures must form women and men capable of promoting peace, rooted in the Gospel, nourished by the social doctrine of the Church and equipped with skills in dialogue and conflict transformation.’
· The second is synodal pastoral governance: ‘At the diocesan and parish levels, we are invited to strengthen the processes of listening, co-responsibility and transparency, so that the Church may truly walk together as a family, where decisions are made in communion.’
· The third is prophetic social commitment: ‘The Church must continue to strengthen Justice and Peace Commissions, promote civic education, support victims of violence and create spaces for dialogue that contribute to reconciliation and social cohesion.’
The vision of the Church as the family of God remains more relevant than ever today, in the face of the worrying realities of Central Africa: persistent armed conflicts, insecurity, weakening social cohesion, poor governance, corruption, humanitarian crises, youth unemployment and ecological stress.
Despite these challenges, the participants welcome the vitality of the faith and the courageous commitment of pastors, consecrated persons and the lay faithful.
However, they call for pastoral clarity, emphasising the urgency of strengthening formation, the credibility of prophetic witness, Christian unity and commitment to interreligious peace.
