Abidjan, 26 January, 2026 / 4:33 PM
The 128th Plenary Assembly of members of the Episcopal Conference of Ivory Coast (CECCI) has ended with an appeal for “authentic reconciliation” in a society still grappling with divisions.
The January 20-25 session in the Catholic Diocese of San Pedro ended with a solemn Mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral of San Pedro Diocese, presided over by Bishop Marcellin Kouadio, President of CECCI.
In his homily, Archbishop Jacques Assanvo Ahiwa of the Catholic Archdiocese of Bouaké underscored the need for conversion.
“Conversion is a radical decision: to leave the old world behind and attach oneself to the Kingdom,” Archbishop Ahiwa said.
He lamented ongoing rivalries and warned that divisions weaken both Church and society.
“There are too many rivalries surrounding our leaders. The birth of many new communities is the result of multiple divergences in their leadership. The history of our Church bears the mark of great divisions whenever Christians have turned their gaze away from what is essential,” he said.
Archbishop Ahiwa denounced the trivialization of values and the promotion of anti-values in Ivorian society, urging a living faith expressed through concrete actions for the common good.
In their final communique that Bishop Joseph Kacou Aka of Ivory Coast’s Catholic Diocese of Yamoussoukro, read, CECCI members urged Ivorians to rise above divisions.
They called for “authentic reconciliation, without cheating or exclusion,” describing it as an indispensable condition for “a sustainable peace.”
CECCI members exhorted “all political, social and religious actors to prioritize truth, justice, dialogue and respect for human dignity, the only solid foundation of national cohesion.”
The Assembly also gave “special attention” to the project of creating a Catholic University in Ivory Coast, described as “a priority and structuring project from the resolutions of 2024 and 2025.”
According to the Catholic Bishops, the Catholic University of Ivory Coast (UCASSI) aims at “the integral training of the person, namely intellectual, human, ethical and spiritual,” and is intended to become “a pole of academic excellence, ethical and technological, in the service of integral human development.”
They praised “the quality and strategic coherence of the orientation document presented by the Catholic Academy of Ivory Coast in UCASSI” and recommended “the resolute transition to the operational phase,” including legal formalization, authorization requests, transparent application processes, and the use of specialized expertise.
On Catholic education, CECCI members acknowledged “major difficulties affecting the functioning of the National Association of Catholic Education of Ivory Coast,” citing financial tensions related to school fees, court disputes, delays in state payments, and challenges linked to social contributions.
They reaffirmed their commitment to accompany reforms “in a spirit of dialogue and responsibility,” while encouraging stronger professionalization and improved accounting and financial management.
The Plenary Assembly also addressed issues related to ecclesial life and governance, including the “training and social protection of seminarians,” with the creation of a Medical Guarantee Fund, as well as economic reforms, audits, youth ministry, and liturgical matters, all undertaken “in a constant concern for institutional credibility and evangelical testimony.”
CECCI members called on everyone to “become artisans of reconciliation, justice, and peace.”
They entrusted the country and its leaders to the intercession of St. Peter, patron of the Diocese of Saint-Pedro and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace.
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