Catholic Media in Africa Crucial to Advancing Synod on Synodality Recommendations: AMECEA Secretariat Official

Nairobi, 28 November, 2025 / 9:14 PM

Catholic media houses across Africa have a a pivotal role in driving the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the Final Document of the multi-year Synod on Synodality, the Coordinator of the Department of Social Communications of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) has said.

Speaking to ACI Africa on the sidelines of the just concluded meeting that brought together Directors of Catholic-owned television and radio stations in Africa and communication Coordinators of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Fr. Andrew Kaufa underscored the strategic importance of Catholic Church media in this Synodality implementation phase.

“Two essential things are happening during the implementation phase of Synodality: raising awareness of the message in the Final Document and training the people of God in what it means to be synodal,” Fr. Kaufa said.

“In both tasks, the role of Church media and communicators is key,” he said in the November 26 interview, and highlighted the critical role Catholic Media can play in helping the people of God understand the message in the Final Document of the Synod on Synodality, which the late Pope Francis extended to 2024.

In training the people of God, the Malawian-born member of the Montfort Missionaries (SMM) emphasized that the Catholic-owned media on the continent need to use their influence to help their audiences internalize what it means to be synodal “as a Church, Diocese, Missionary Congregation, or Ecclesial association.”

“In this phase of implementation, the Church in Africa needs a concerted effort to help people understand Synodality,” he told ACI Africa. 

Fr. Kaufa went on to describe the November 24-28 meeting that brought broadcasters from Catholic-owned television and radio stations in Africa and communication Coordinators of AMECEA at the Mariapolis Piero Centre in Kenya’s Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) as timely.

“This meeting has come at the right time,” the Coordinator of the AMECEA Department of Social Communication, who also serves as a Consulter of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication (DFC) he said, and explained that it was timely because of the Church in Africa’s responsibility to help the people of God “discern what steps to take within their local contexts to begin journeying along the path of Synodality.”

Participants in the meeting realized under the theme “Strengthening Catholic Television for Evangelization and Collaboration in Africa” explored more effective approaches to networking and potential channels for content sharing.

They reflected on the creation of a continental framework for television programming in Africa, which, Fr. Kaufa said he believes can significantly impact the third phase of the Synod on Synodality, giving its implementation the needed visibility.