Catholic Bishops in Burkina Faso Launch Fund to Help “people, communities facing crises”

Ouagadougou, 12 March, 2022 / 9:30 PM

Catholic Bishops in Burkina Faso have, through the development and humanitarian arm of the Church in the West African nation, Caritas Burkina, launched a solidarity fund to assist people and communities facing crises.

Addressing journalists during the Thursday, March 10 launch of the 4th edition of the Alfred Diban Catholic Solidarity Fund (FCSAD), the President of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger (CEBN) highlighted the importance of the initiative.

“The Alfred Diban Catholic Solidarity Fund aims to show the compassion, charity and mercy of the Catholic Church in Burkina Faso to people and communities facing crises, both inside and outside Burkina Faso,” Bishop Laurent Birfuoré Dabiré said.

Bishop Dabiré added, “The establishment of the fund is justified by the lack of funds available for a rapid reaction of the Catholic Church to crises. Through the FCSAD, the Church is aiming for independence and anticipation.”

“This must be understood as a tool for expressing the freedom and dignity of our Church Family of God in Burkina Faso,” the Burkinabé Bishop said.

According to the Local Ordinary of Burkina Faso’s Dori Diocese, “FCSAD will therefore be used to support and care for victims of natural disasters, food and nutritional crises, socio-political crises, epidemics, etc.”

He said, “Collections of financial and material resources are planned throughout the week and a special collection on Sunday, 13 March 2022 in all the chapels, parishes, institutions and structures of the Church-Family of God in Burkina Faso.”

“All Christians and people of good will are concerned and are actors and contributors to the Fund,” the 56-year-old Catholic Bishop added.

Bishop Dabiré further told journalists that “donations are received in parishes and SCCs (Small Christian Communities), by transaction, but also in the various diocesan commissions or directly through the management unit of FCSAD at the general secretariat of Caritas Burkina.”

In November 2018, CEBN members created the solidarity fund named after the first Burkinabé Christian, Alfred Diban.

Since then, Catholic Bishops in the West African nation decided to devote an entire week each year to raise awareness and mobilize resources for the Fund.