First-Ever Congress of Clergy in Ivory Coast Planned for July, Donations Requested

“This congress will make it possible to examine this important question of the life of (the) clergy,” the 57-year-old Prelate told journalists and added, “It is necessary to reflect together and to organize the remuneration of priests and give them everything they need to (live) their priestly ministry without great difficulty.”

As members of society, the clergy in Ivory Coast minister within the existing socio-political context with its challenges, the Ivorian Prelate noted and explained, “The difficulties that society encounters are also difficulties for priests and bishops. Many find it difficult to understand this, but we are going to help them by accompanying them.”

He added, “The social and political problems that arise also affect the Church.”

The planned five-day Congress, which will be held in a pre-election period will allow priests in the West African country to return to their fundamental mission, which is to lead people to God, Bishop Béby underscored.

“The crisis that we have experienced requires that the priest be able to reposition himself so as not to lose the relevance and effectiveness of his discourse,” the Bishop of Man told journalists in Abidjan and encouraged the clergy in his country to reflect about the social, political, religious and ecclesial situations of their respective pastoral contexts.

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He probed, “How should today's Ivorian priest fit into this new Ivorian society and how should he situate himself in it?”

“It is a society that is divided, fractured, but how can and should the priest be a unifier beyond the difficulties?” Bishop Béby probed further and urged, “we must reflect and pray in relation to the universal challenges of the Church. There are also new challenges in relation to the whole of humanity.”

“The Ivorian priest is also in the world, in the Universal Church, there are new challenges in today's world,” Bishop Béby said and added, “A context such as ours strongly challenges the clergy. The Church must reposition itself in its mission which is to lead the whole Ivory Coast in love, forgiveness and reconciliation, towards God's project.”

Meanwhile, Bishops in Ivory Coast have called upon the faithful to support the course of the Congress through donations.

“Those of the Ecclesiastical Province of Abidjan should deposit their food at the secretariat of the conference, and for the provinces of Gagnoa, Bouaké and Korhogo, these donations should be deposited at the diocesan centre of Yamoussoukro which will host the event,” Bishop Béby said.

During the press conference, the Ivorian Prelate disclosed, “an estimated budget of 65 million CFA francs (USD 109,983) was envisaged to welcome the 500 priest delegates who are to take part in the congress.”

According to the Ivorian Bishop, “The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Ivory Coast (CECCI) has decided to finance up to 45 million CFA francs (USD 76,150).”

Bishop Béby announced, at the Press Conference, the plan to unveil “the five-year pastoral plan adopted by the bishops of Ivory Coast based on the aspirations of the Ivorian society.”

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.