Garoua, 06 October, 2025 / 3:46 PM
The Apostolic Nuncio in Cameroon has encouraged the people of God in the country’s Catholic Archdiocese of Garoua to remain steadfast in their Christian faith amid life’s challenges.
In his homily during the Platinum Jubilee celebration of the Cameroonian Metropolitan See, Archbishop José Avelino Bettencourt described Garoua as “a land blessed by God” and a cornerstone of evangelization in Northern Cameroon.
“Your presence here today — Bishops, Priests, civil authorities, and faithful — shows the importance of this Archdiocese to the Catholic Church and to our nation,” Archbishop Bettencourt said during the October 4 event,
Reflecting on the historical journey of the Archdiocese, the Vatican diplomat paid tribute to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) who brought the Gospel to Northern Cameroon in the 1940s.
“From Garoua, one of the first Dioceses in the country, evangelization spread to the surrounding territories — Goundéré, Yagoua, and Maroua-Mokolo. The missionaries, supported by local collaborators, established schools, health centers, and parishes that transformed communities,” he said, recalling the missionary zeal that shaped the region as the Cameroonian Metropolitan See marked 70 years since its canonical erection with the consecration of the newly restored St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus Cathedral.
Archbishop Bettencourt honoured the contributions of early missionaries — French, Canadian, Polish, Italian, and local — who, he said, “gave themselves without counting the cost.”
Addressing the people of God, he said, “It is now your turn to continue their mission — as Catechists, Religious, and Priests — to spread the Good News of Jesus.”
The Portuguese-born Vatican diplomat, who conveyed greetings from Pope Leo XIV and expressed the Holy Father’s love and spiritual solidarity with the people of God in Cameroon, described the newly consecrated Cathedral as “a visible sign of our deep Christian commitment and our desire to worship God through Jesus Christ.”
“Like the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, this Cathedral will stand as a symbol of resilience, unity, and the living presence of Christ among his people,” the Apostolic Nuncio in Cameroon, who also represents the Holy Father in Equatorial Guinea said.
He emphasized, “We must be strong in our faith, even in trials — for you, my brothers and sisters of the North, know trials well.”
He noted that dedicating the Cathedral to St. Therese of the Child Jesus, patroness of missions, reflects the Archdiocese’s missionary identity and enduring contribution to the Church’s growth in Cameroon.
Acknowledging the presence of Muslim and ecumenical leaders, the Vatican diplomat commended Garoua’s long tradition of peaceful coexistence.
“It is in concord, harmony, and acceptance of our differences that we can build peace in our dear country,” Archbishop Bettencourt said, thanking civil authorities for their dedication to public service and national cohesion.
The Apostolic Nuncio in Cameroon, appointed in August 2023, urged political leaders in the Central African nation to remain committed to promoting the common good, adding that the Church “will continue to support efforts that uphold human dignity and development.”
He went on to remind the people of God that true worship “must come from the heart” and be “guided by the Spirit of truth.”
“The consecration of this Cathedral reminds us that we ourselves must become living temples of God. It is not only this building that must be consecrated, but our lives — in service, humility, and love,” Archbishop Bettencourt said.
He further affirmed, “Everything is providence. This Cathedral is a monument to faith and a testimony to the nobility of your people. May it remain a living symbol of unity, strength, and love in the Church in Cameroon.”
Also speaking during the October 4 event, the Local Ordinary of Garoua, Archbishop Faustin Ambassa Ndjodo, reflected on the long preparation for the Platinum Jubilee, saying, “We dreamed of this day, and we have worked for it over the past three years.”
“We are fulfilled. We pray that God may grant us the light we need to discern the steps to take for the journey of His people here in the years to come,” Archbishop Ndjodo said.
The Archdiocese of Garoua was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Garoua before it was elevated to a Diocese on 14 September 1955. In March 1982, St. John Paul II elevated it to an Archdiocese, with three Suffragan Dioceses of Maroua–Mokolo, Ngaoundéré, and Yagoua.
The Cameroonian Metropolitan See that measures 65,234 square kilometers has an estimated Catholic population of 201,828, according to 2023 statistics.
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