Polygamy remains a point of contention with the Church in many African nations

(CWR | Yaounde) Pope Leo XIV’s recent visit to Africa has reignited debate over the Church’s pastoral approach to polygamy. During an April 16, 2026, address at St. Joseph’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Bamenda, Fon Fru Asaah Angwafor IV, the traditional ruler of Mankon, called for a more compassionate and inclusive ecclesial posture toward those in polygamous unions.

While acknowledging that education has largely phased out traditions incompatible with Christian values, the Cameroonian monarch expressed gratitude for the Church’s focus on the issue during the 2023–2024 Synod on Synodality. He recalled that the Pope specifically asked African bishops to study how to better integrate people in polygamous situations into the life of the Church.

“We thank you that during the Synod on Synodality in Rome in 2023 and 2024, the Pope asked the African Bishops to carry out an in-depth study on Polygamy and see how people in these situations can be integrated into the life of the church,” Angwafor told the Holy Father, drawing suppressed laughter from the packed Cathedral.

“We are waiting for the results of that study, so that those traditional rulers and people who are in that situation may be able to worship God freely in the church without being judged or rejected within the same Church,” he appealed.

Tensions and challenges

While the Church consistently upholds matrimony as a union between one man and one woman, the situation in Africa—where polygamy is legal in 31 countries—creates tension because of those who wish to remain Catholic while adhering to traditional customs.

Last month, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences for Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) finalized its report on the pastoral challenge of polygamy. Published on March 24, 2026, the 25-page document outlines a structured approach to the practice within the African context.

“This document directly responds to the mandate from the 2023 Synod on Synodality to provide theological and pastoral discernment on the issue,” said Father Humphrey Tatah Mbuy, a prominent Cameroonian priest and anthropologist.

The document examines the historical roots of polygamy in Africa, attributing the practice to the need for large families (for security and labor), alliances between families or tribes, social prestige, and the high value placed on posterity. It explains that, contrary to the belief that modernity would erase the practice, it is showing resilience driven by factors such as female sterility, the levirate, and, increasingly, women embracing it to balance motherhood with professional careers by sharing domestic burdens.

The document also highlights “veiled polygamy”, a modern form that exists alongside traditional structures, where men maintain multiple households or “offices” outside of legal marriage.

The SECAM document draws on biblical texts to explain why polygamy does not meet the Church’s requirements for marriage. While key biblical figures, including Abraham, Jacob, and David, were all polygamous for reasons of progeny and survival, the document notes that this was not the original ideal. It explains that from Creation (“male and female he created them”) to the prophets, the Bible increasingly exalts monogamy.

Catholic teaching is clear and settled

In exclusive comments to CWR, Bishop Michael Bibi of Cameroon’s Buea Diocese said that dealing with people in polygamous relationships “continues to challenge the Church pastorally, particularly within many African cultural contexts.”

However, he is firm that under no circumstances will the Church compromise its teaching on what marriage is.

“The Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage remains firmly rooted in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition,” Bishop Bibi said.

 “Marriage, as instituted by God,” he explained, “is a covenant between one man and one woman. In the Gospel, Our Lord Jesus Christ reaffirms this original plan of the Creator when He says: ‘from the beginning made them male and female…this is why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes attached to his wife, and the two become one flesh. They are no longer two, therefore, but one flesh. So then, what God has united, human beings must not divide’ (Matthew 19:4-6).”

“The Church, therefore, upholds monogamous and indissoluble marriage as the proper context for the Sacrament of Matrimony,” Bibi continued.

He also cited the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states in paragraph 1645: “The unity of marriage, distinctly recognized by our Lord, is made clear in the equal personal dignity which must be accorded to man and wife in mutual and unreserved affection. Polygamy is contrary to conjugal love, which is undivided and exclusive.”

“Likewise, Saint Paul teaches that each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband (1 Cor 7:2),” the bishop added. “This reflects the Christian understanding of a faithful and exclusive marital union.”

Despite this strict adherence to the Christian definition of marriage, Bishop Bibi recognizes the danger of losing those in polygamous situations. He described the Church as “a mother called to welcome, accompany, and guide all her children with charity and patience.”

“Families in polygamous unions must never feel rejected or excluded from the life of the Church,” the cleric asserted. “While certain sacramental limitations exist, particularly concerning the reception of the Eucharist and sacramental marriage, these faithful are still members of the Christian community. They are encouraged to participate in the life of the Church through prayer, attendance at Mass, acts of charity, catechesis, and the moral and spiritual upbringing of their children.”

Pastoral accompaniment, but without compromise

Bishop Bibi said “pastoral accompaniment” is at the core of his mission in his Diocese.

“Through our catechetical programs, Small Christian Communities, pastoral counseling, and parish outreach initiatives, we strive to ensure that persons in irregular marital situations encounter the mercy and love of Christ,” he said. “Priests, catechists, and pastoral agents are encouraged to approach such families with compassion, avoiding every form of condemnation or humiliation, while at the same time faithfully presenting the teachings of the Church.”

Emphasizing the universality of the Church, the cleric asserted that “her teachings on the Sacrament of Marriage cannot be altered according to cultural circumstances.” Yet, pastoral approaches, he explained, should take into account local realities, cultures, and the gradual journey of faith of individuals and families.

“This is in line with the Church’s longstanding principle of inculturation, whereby the Gospel is proclaimed within cultures without compromising the truths of the faith, which are not cultural but stem from the teaching of Christ himself,” he said.

Bishop Bibi’s approach in Buea Diocese mirrors the recommendations of the SECAM document. The document explains that pastoral action must be characterized by proximity, listening, and support rather than mere condemnation, because the Church is called to walk with those affected. It emphasizes that pastoral care must be “constitutive of the mission of the Church,” meaning it is essential to engage with the reality of polygamous families rather than excluding them.

Additionally, the document recommends that pastoral programs must specifically value women, ensuring that the Church’s defense of monogamy is perceived as a defense of the dignity and honor of women, rather than a purely legalistic rule.

For those in polygamous situations, the document urges the Church to develop appropriate pastoral care to help those who have encountered the Gospel while already living in polygamous relationships—helping them live a life of faith and charity within their current constraints. For all Christians, the Church must implement pastoral initiatives to help believers understand and adhere to the ideal of monogamous marriage.

Bishop Bibi said he understands the concerns of traditional leaders like Fon Angwafor, explaining that their voices “often reflect genuine pastoral concerns arising from lived realities within their communities.” He said the Church values dialogue with such leaders, especially when such dialogue seeks the dignity of persons and the strengthening of family life.

“Nevertheless, any pastoral response must remain faithful to the Gospel, the teachings of Christ, and the universal Magisterium (teaching authority) of the Church,” he asserted.

 “As pastors, our responsibility is to hold together both truth and charity, proclaiming clearly the Church’s teaching while ensuring that every person experiences the closeness, mercy, and hope that Christ Himself offers to all.”

Father Tatah Mbuy told CWR simply that “Fon Angwafor’s worries, like those of many, have been answered.”