African Catholic leaders gather in Abidjan for historic jubilee Congress

The third Pan-African Catholic Jubilee on Theology, Society, and Pastoral Life opened August 5 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, bringing together the continent’s largest assembly of African Catholic theologians, pastors, lay leaders, and others.

A landmark gathering

Under the theme “Journeying Together in Hope as a Church Family of God in Africa,” the landmark gathering features a wide range of participants, including scholars, pastors, laity, and ecumenical partners.

The Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN), which organized the event, states on its website that participants share a common hope for the future of the Church and society in Africa: “This hope is built on the conviction that the different challenges and opportunities in Africa today offer the Church in Africa and God’s people the opportunity to act differently and courageously drawing from the gift of faith to change permanently the direction of history in Africa and break the cycle of suffering, and dependency through institutional resilience, practices and ethics that promote abundant life.”

The Congress comes at a particularly crucial moment for African Catholics, coinciding with three major ecclesial events: the Catholic Church’s celebration of the 2025th anniversary of Christianity, the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, and the universal Church’s entry into the third phase of the synodal process.

According to Sister Agnes Sory, co-convener of the Congress, the gathering provides a unique opportunity for the African Church to contribute its distinctive voice to the global conversation on faith, hope, and reconciliation. This comes at a time when the world faces numerous challenges, including international conflicts, persecution of Christians, artificial intelligence, and new forms of communication that risk trampling human dignity.

Sory told CWR that “national, regional and international conflicts, growing persecution of Christians, the development of artificial intelligence with the risk of human dignity being trampled underfoot by the globalization of society, and the emergence of new forms of communication,” are some of the topics the Congress has to address.

“The African Church undoubtedly has something to put on the common table of reflection for the world Church,” she said.

African palaver model

She said the Congress will highlight the traditional African dialogue model known as the “African palaver” as a framework for decision-making within the African Church. This approach integrates all voices, beginning with the most vulnerable, creating spaces for respectful discussion and collective wisdom.

 Much like the ancestral gatherings under the palaver tree where communities resolved conflicts and shared wisdom, the Congress, she said, aims to embody these principles of peace, beauty, and truth-seeking.

She told CWR that the palaver tree symbolizes peace and reconciliation, embodying the conviction that compromise and change are possible because “that’s what makes us human,” offering the global Church a model of dialogue that emphasizes listening, respect, and communal discernment.

Beyond tokenism

Sr. Prof. Sory said that in a deliberate effort to move beyond mere representation, the Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress has structured its five-day program to amplify the voices and contributions of young people, women, and local leaders.

The assembly, she said, features stories and testimonies of missionary projects that have changed lives across Africa, with dedicated sessions for exchange and discussion ensuring these perspectives directly influence the outcomes.

For instance, Leonard Josaya from Malawi will share stories of how his Building Bridges Initiative Malawi is integrating spiritual conviction with economic empowerment. Through initiatives such as digital evangelization, beading workshops, and vocational training for youth with disabilities, the initiative is nurturing a generation that both believes and builds.

Marthina Mlumun Akighir of Nigeria will illustrate how Catholic digital influencers can collaborate to build communities of faith; Denis Kioko Wakine of Kenya will share how his Jitegemee foundation is fostering self-dependency through farming, education, and natural talents, and Sierra Leone’s Samuel Eugene will speak about a Christian approach to waste recycling.

 As Sr. Prof. Sory notes, this approach reflects the African wisdom that “one hand cannot wash the back,” emphasizing that the Church’s mission requires the active participation of all its members, particularly those working on the existential peripheries of society.

African Church offers distinctive perspective

Sr.Prof.Sory said the Congress presents the universal Church with a distinctive African perspective on synodality, which is rooted in Vatican II teachings, African ecclesiology, and cultural traditions.

 This approach, she explained, emphasizes the Church as a “Family of God” and incorporates insights from Ubuntu, a southern African philosophy that emphasizes shared humanity, interconnectedness, and compassion.

She says that embracing the synodal palaver model and fostering communion amid cultural and ethnic diversity, the African Church demonstrates how listening to all voices—especially young people, women, and the vulnerable—can enrich the entire Church’s understanding in addressing contemporary global challenges.

Those challenges were noted in a video message yesterday from Pope Leo to the Congress. “As you well know,” he said, “Africa, like every other part of the world, faces its own set of particular difficulties. When faced with these challenges and the perception that things do not change, it is easy to become despondent. However, it is precisely the role of the Church to be the light of the world and a city set on a hill, so as to be a beacon of hope for the nations.”