Angola’s National Reconciliation Congress: Catholic Bishops Urge Unity, Forgiveness, Renewal

Addressing the theme “The Ontology and Purpose of the National Reconciliation Congress,” the Angolan member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) noted that “the Catholic Church in Angola, through the voice of its pastors, does not seek to replace nor override any constitutionally established exercise, and much less exclude sensitivities, visions, or efforts toward national reconciliation.”

According to the Catholic Archbishop, “the language is one of inclusion, the method is inclusion, and the dynamic is synodality: all together, as brothers and sisters, without leaving anyone behind.”

The 59-year-old Catholic Archbishop emphasized that “the Church has always been—and will always be—the critical conscience of society and the voice of the voiceless.”

He continued, “Promoting justice and being an instrument of peace and reconciliation among people is an absolute imperative—an urgent duty and mission not imposed by any human will, but coming from the Holy Spirit through Christ.”

Archbishop Zeca further said that “the Church cannot refuse this mission, because it is in fulfilling it that she risks the credibility of her faith and fidelity to the mandate of her Master, Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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He added, “The history of Angola and Angolans cannot disregard the Lord of History.”

Archbishop Zecawarned that “tragic atheism and atheistic ideologies sought to banish God from existence and history, but, as Saint John Paul II said, man can build a world without God; however, that world will eventually turn against man himself.”

The Catholic Church leader also highlighted the prophetic role of the Church, affirming that “the commitment document to be produced from this congress will be the new compass pointing north for our shared journey. After 50 years of independence and 23 years of peace, none of us has the right to postpone the future. The Angola we desire must be born from the pacified and reconciled heart of each one of us.”

 “Let us not wait for other times; let us not use time for vanity or falsehoods. Let us focus on ourselves and build the future. Yes, we can,” he said.

On his part, the Archbishop Zacarias Kamwenho called for the construction of a “civilization of love” as the foundation of peace and national reconciliation, stating that the State and Church must walk together in the service of humanity and human dignity.

Archbishop Kamwenho, who shepherded the Catholic Archdiocese of Lubango in Angola till September 2009 when he retired at the age of 75 recalled that “the objectives of peace and reconciliation are two sides of the same coin,” and that “from this congress, annual actions should be programmed to effectively create a reconciled Angola, correcting what is wrong and improving what is right.”

He emphasized that “without involvement of ideologies or party colors, we must serve the whole person and all people.”

Reflecting on the theme “Witness and Experience of Reconciliation over 50 Years of Independence,” the 90-year-old Catholic Archbishop affirmed that “the Church and the State are both at the service of Angolans. They must sit together to look at the path traveled and what must be projected for the future.”

He recalled that “during the armed conflict, the Church always believed in the power of evangelical peace and the biblical shalom of the prophets, which means fullness and communion.”

Archbishop Kamwenho noted that “the Church must continue to be the spiritual and moral beacon of society, promoting education for peace through the Catechism of Peace and Reconciliation and the Compendium of the Church's Social Doctrine.”

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“It is this civilization of love that we must build—a people proud of their freedom and with a mature awareness of their ideal,” he said.

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.