Burkina Faso’s Cardinal
Ouédraogo is new SECAM President
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| The SECAM golden jubilee and plenary assembly has ended in Uganda |
At the close of the SECAM Golden Jubilee Celebrations and
Plenary Assembly, the Bishops of Africa over the weekend, elected the
Archbishop of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba
Ouédraogo as the new President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of
Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).
Paul Samasumo – Vatican City
Cardinal Ouédraogo takes over from Angolan Archbishop of
Lubango, Gabriel Mbilingi, who has served as head of SECAM for six years.
Also elected as 1st Vice President was the Bishop of Umtata
Diocese, South Africa, Sithembele Anton Sipuka. The 2nd Vice President is
Bishop Lucio Andrice Muandula of the Diocese of Xai-Xai in Mozambique.
Fr. Terwase Henry Akaabiam of Nigeria was appointed
new Secretary-General of SECAM replacing Fr. Joseph Komakoma of Zambia, who has
equally completed a two-term mandate.
SECAM Final message: The Golden Jubilee has been a time of
thanksgiving, communion and hope
In a final message of SECAM, the new President said
that the organisation will soon finalise the outcome of the SECAM discussions
in a compiled work to be known as the “Kampala Document.”
“To keep alive the momentum of the Jubilee, SECAM will issue
an important document, the “Kampala Document” which will help the people of God
(in Africa) deepen their knowledge of Christ our Saviour and make Him known as
the Way, the Truth and the Life,” the Cardinal said.
Cardinal Ouédraogo further outlined that through its
socio-pastoral organs such as Caritas, Justice and Peace Commissions,
SECAM would continue to commit itself to the care of migrants and refugees, and
to the protection of integral ecology. In the coming years, SECAM intends to
highlight much more the socio-political dimension of evangelisation as inspired
by Catholic Social teaching. This would be a concerted effort to accompany
politicians and governments, in Africa, work for the wellbeing of their people.
SECAM remains committed to promoting reconciliation, justice
and peace in Africa
“The Golden Jubilee of SECAM is a commitment to the service
of reconciliation, justice and peace which promotes communion and pastoral
solidarity,” the SECAM President said. He added that by standing united, the
Church in Africa would be in a much stronger position to confront pastoral
challenges arising from ideological colonisation, land grabbing, political and
democratic destabilisation on the continent. According to Cardinal
Ouédraogo, these concerns call for a united front that will also tackle the
menace of human trafficking, terrorism and arms trafficking prevalent on the
continent.
He continued, “We entrust Africa and the mission of the
Church to Mary, Queen of Africa; may St. Joseph, the Martyrs of Uganda, and all
the Saints of Africa and Madagascar obtain for us a renewed zeal to follow
Jesus Christ. May the Jubilee we have just celebrated be for us the springboard
for a new life in Jesus Christ, and for service of the Gospel in Africa and the
world,” Cardinal Ouédraogo concluded.
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