Africa’s Bishops open 20th SECAM Plenary focused on the Church as a source of hope

More than 250 representatives of the Catholic Church across Africa are gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, for the 20th Plenary Assembly of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM). The high-level meeting runs from 30 July to 4 August 2025.

SECAM, which brings together all Catholic bishops of Africa, serves as a platform for fostering communion, collaboration, and coordinated action among Episcopal Conferences across the continent and its islands. Its mission, according to President Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo, Archbishop of Kinshasa, is to promote the Church as a family of God in Africa and a sign of salvation in today’s world.

Themed “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation, and Peace”, this year’s Plenary Assembly has drawn together Cardinals, Bishops, priests, religious men and women, lay leaders, and partners from other continents. The gathering is expected to assess the progress made since the last Assembly held in Accra, Ghana, in 2022.

A key feature of the 2025 Assembly will be the unveiling of SECAM’s long-term vision document, structured around twelve foundational pillars. These include evangelization, family leadership, youth engagement, care for creation, digital mission, and political responsibility.

The Assembly will also feature a pastoral reflection on accompanying Catholics living in complex cultural realities such as polygamous unions, and will explore pressing issues including governance, justice, peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, climate change, and safeguarding.

Another major highlight will be the official launch of SECAM’s Triennial Strategic Plan for 2025–2028. The meeting will also initiate the process for renewing the leadership of SECAM in line with its constitution.