Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana Urges Commitment to Synodality as Path to Renewal, Conversion, Prophetic Witness

Accra, 11 November, 2025 / 3:19 PM

The representative of the Holy Father in Ghana has urged the people of God in the West African nation to renew their commitment to the theme of the multi-year Synod on Synodality by fostering genuine conversion, listening, and shared responsibility in the service of justice and peace.

In his address on Monday, November 10, at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Plenary Assembly of members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference (GCBC), Archbishop Julien Kaboré described the November 10-14 gathering’s theme – “ The Synodal Church at the Service of Justice and Peace” – as an invitation to rediscover the very heart of the Church’s mission.

“This theme is as timely as it is profound. It situates the Church's mission today within the horizon of synodality, that's walking together, which is not a passing initiative nor a technical exercise of consultation, but a way of being Church, rooted in listening, discernment, and the active participation of all the people of God,” the Vatican diplomat said during the event at the Guest House of Damongo Catholic Diocese.

The Church’s journey of synodality must be rooted in metanoia – a personal and communal conversion of heart that leads to authentic witness, Archbishop Kaboré said, alluding to the theme of the Synod on Synodality that was concluded on 27 October 2024 in Rome, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.” 

Citing Pope Benedict XVI’s Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Africae Munus, the Apostolic Nuncio reminded GCBC members that reconciliation, justice, and peace begin “not with structures or strategies, but with the inner transformation of hearts.”

“This call is addressed to each of us — Bishops, Priests, women and men Religious, and all the baptized. Conversion nourished by the Word of God and the sacraments gives us the courage to resist division, indifference, and self-interest,” Archbishop Kaboré said.

The native of Burkina Faso, who has been the Pope’s representative in Ghana since June 2024, emphasized that a synodal Church must cultivate what he called a “spirituality of communion,” learning to see others as gifts, to bear one another’s burdens, and to renounce rivalry and distrust.

“Only through patience, forgiveness, and perseverance can the Church become truly fraternal and society truly reconciled,” he said.

The Apostolic Nuncio warned that Africa continues to bear the scars of violence and corruption, pointing to ongoing suffering in countries like Sudan. 

“The call to reconciliation, justice, and peace remains urgent and unavoidable. We can only think of the ongoing tragedy in Sudan, on our continent. Of the unspeakable devastation endured by countless families whose voices too often remain unheard,” Archbishop Kaboré lamented.

In such a context, he said, the Church must act as a prophetic “sentinel” that keeps watch during the night and refuses to be silent in the face of injustice.

“Wherever the dignity of life is threatened or the cries of the poor go unheard, the Church must speak, must comfort, must form consciences,” Archbishop Kaboré said, adding, “Peace is not given once for all — it requires vigilance, dialogue, and forgiveness.”

He lamented that today’s global culture often prizes wealth over human dignity and chooses conflict over dialogue, warning that such attitudes erode the moral and social fabric of communities. 

Synodality, he said, offers a countercultural path of unity and hope.

“Synodality teaches us to resist both isolation and domination. It reminds us that another way of relating and deciding is possible — one rooted in mutual listening and co-responsibility,” the Apostolic Nuncio said.

He noted that “a synodal Church is not only participatory — it is prophetic. It stands in the night and announces the dawn with faith and courage.”

As the Diocese of Damongo celebrates the jubilee of its creation, Archbishop Kaboré termed it “a moment of grace” and “an invitation to gratitude and renewal,” encouraging the local Church to be “a house of welcome, peace, and solidarity” for all.