“Our Church needs us”: Catholic Communicators in Cameroon Urged to Persevere in Their Media Apostolate

“The Lord called me, and beyond what it can be, I must answer by saying every morning, ‘I am the servant of the Lord in the field of communication, let it be done according to His will’”, she said.

Sr. Manga urged communicators to resist the temptation of materialism, focusing instead on the Church’s mission of evangelization. 

“We must not tell people not to give up when we have already given up. We must not tell people not to ask for a big salary when we already ask for it,” she cautioned.

The February 24-27 meeting is bringing together Catholic communicators from across Cameroon to participate in the dynamics of the Church's 2025 Jubilee Year and to promote a climate of peace in the Central African nation.

The Catholic communicators have been reflecting on the theme “Communicating the Force of Hope in Cameroon in the Context of the Jubilee and Electoral Year with Modern Means of Communication.”

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Also speaking to ACI Africa, Fr. Aurélien Léhoun Mbéa, National Secretary for Catholic Education in Cameroon, linked the role of Catholic communicators to the broader context of national elections and social transformation.

“We are entering a year placed on the threshold of hope,” he said in reference to the ongoing Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year.

Fr. Léhoun Mbéa added, “As communicators, beyond all that happens, we are called to seek the truth, to verify facts, and to share information that contributes to the development of our society.”

He underscored the need for Catholic communicators to exercise discernment in the political landscape, encouraging them to engage in responsible reporting and civic education.

“We must be clear-sighted, with a spirit of discernment, to ask who will take the destiny of our country. The problem is not only to choose someone at the beginning but to support him, to guide him, so that he can lead the country towards the common good,” the member of the Clergy of Cameroon’s Catholic Diocese of Ngaoundéré said.

Fr. Léhoun Mbéa also stressed the importance of maintaining peace, particularly in regions affected by conflict.

“We pray that all of Cameroon will be in peace. In our electoral discourse, we must remain objective while preserving unity and peaceful coexistence,” the former Director of Communication of the Catholic Diocese of Ngaoundéré told ACI Africa.

He called on Catholic communicators to be voices of reconciliation, ensuring that their work promotes dialogue and understanding. 

“Even if there are problems, we must sit down, have dialogue, and assume each one’s mission, even to the smallest person who is at the bottom. Everyone has an important role in building the future of our country,” the Cameroonian Catholic Priest said.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.