Catholic Bishops in Africa Urged to Foster Human Dignity to Achieve “lasting security”

The fostering of human dignity, access to basic human needs, the protection and care of the vulnerable, including integration of migrants and refugees, Cardinal Tagle told delegates of the 19th SECAM Plenary Assembly, “is communion; this is true security.”

Established in July 1969 out of the desire of Catholic Bishops in African during the Second Vatican Council to speak with one voice, SECAM has the mission “to promote its role as a sign and instrument of salvation and to build the Church as a Family of God in Africa,” while also preserving and fostering communion and collaboration among its member conferences.

In his July 26 speech, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery that has merged the former Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization challenged members of SECAM to live up to their mission as an “instrument of communion” to help achieve security. 

“SECAM like other ecclesial and pastoral bodies under diocesan, national, continental, and universal levels is a sign and instrument of communion,” Cardinal Tagle said, and added, “Communion, while a gift from God, is also a human task and responsibility.”

He regretted the fact that “security is often militarized and ideologized. The more that happens, the more insecure the world is. The more security becomes militarized and ideologized, the world becomes more insecure.”

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“The ecclesial and pastoral communion generated within the continent of Africa and the Islands through SECAM, contributes to security in the continent,” the Filipino Cardinal who started his Episcopal Ministry in Philippine’s Diocese of Imus in December 2001 said.

“Each one contributes to communion. Each one benefits from communion,” The 65-year-old Cardinal said, advocating for “a SECAM owned and supported by all its members and strengthened by all the members.”

The former Archbishop of Manila Archdiocese in the Philippines implored, “May SECAM be a sign and instrument of communion that promotes authentic and lasting security.”

The ongoing SECAM Plenary Assembly follows the July 2019 one that took place in Kampala, Uganda, marking  the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the continental symposium, and concluding with the election of Philippe Cardinal Ouedraogo, the Archbishop of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, as SECAM President.

Delegates of the 19th Plenary Assembly are meeting under the theme, “Ownership of SECAM: Security and Migration in Africa and its Islands”.

They are drawn from the eight regional associations of Catholic Bishops. These include the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC), the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa Region (ACERAC), and the Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA/CERAO).

Other regional associations are the Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchy of Egypt (AHCE), the Regional Episcopal Conferences of North Africa (CERNA), Madagascar and Episcopal Conferences of Indian Ocean (CEDOI), and the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA).

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.