Catholic Bishop in Guinea-Bissau Urges Priests in West Africa to Foster Respect for Diversity

He added, “We recognize the importance of each individual exercising their freedom and assuming their personal responsibilities.”

“In this sense, we seek to ensure that everyone contributes generously to the well-being of others, thus creating the conditions for peaceful coexistence between different ethnic and religious groups,” Bishop Lampra Cà said.

In his address, the Local Ordinary of Bissau recognized the efforts of Priests in valuing life and human dignity, especially at a time he described as “delicate” for sub-Saharan Africa.

“We express our deep gratitude to the fathers of this organization, who have shown a firm determination and a conscious defense of the values of life and human dignity,” Bishop Lampra Cà said. 

He continued, “At a particularly challenging time in the sub-Saharan African region, they have stood out for their unwavering commitment, putting human interests above all other considerations.”

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Bishop Lampra Cà stressed the importance of diversifying priestly initiatives to deal with adverse situations in West African countries.

“This crisis of realization can give rise to a feeling of uselessness about what we do. In other words, given the seriousness of the situation and its contours, we can think that our action as priests is nothing more than a drop in the ocean,” he said.

The Catholic Church leader continued, “Our share, our drop of water is necessary because without it the ocean would not be as big or as beautiful as it is.”

“As priests, we must diversify our initiatives, be creative so as not to be surprised by situations that don't work in our favor, in favor of the well-being of citizens and the dignity of the person,” Bishop Lampra Cà said.

Also speaking during the June 3 event, Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Finance, Ilídio Vieira Té, invited the Bishop of Bissau to serve as a bridge between politicians, promoting dialogue and reconciliation.

“What we really need is to cultivate peace, and harmony and avoid radicalism, while sympathizing with the difficulties of others,” the minister said.

He added, “It is essential that the country breathes calm and finds in community unity, including the contribution of the Church, the way to live in harmony.”

In his opening address at the conference, Fr. Aloyse Sene, President of RUPWA expressed optimism that the priests' stay in Guinea-Bissau would be “a time of rebirth, a time that will enable us to look to the future with great determination and hope.”

“I pray that we may start afresh from Christ, the master of mission par excellence,” Fr. Sene said, and added, “Our congresses are, among other things, wonderful opportunities to show a path of light in the various fields that challenge us…One of the duties of a union or fraternity such as ours is to be like a beacon pointing out a path of light.” 

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