All Set for 20th Plenary Assembly of Catholic Bishops in Africa with Focus on “hope, reconciliation, peace”

One of the highlights of July 30 was the collective visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial by Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Women and Men Religious, and lay delegates.

“It was a moment of deep emotion,” said the SEACM Communications Officer, adding, “Cardinal Turkson, Dieudonné Cardinal Nzapalainga, and other bishops who are here for the Plenary Assembly visited the memorial to honor the memory of the victims.”

During the July 30–August 4 Plenary Assembly, SECAM is expected to unveil a strategic plan that will guide their activities for the next three years.

According to the “last version” of the program that SECAM leadership shared with ACI Africa, the July 30 – August 4 Plenary Assembly that the Episcopal Conference of Rwanda (CEPR) will host is to have daily Eucharistic celebration, sessions for reports from SECAM President and Presidents of Regionals Conferences, presentation of documents, solidarity messages from SECAM partners, and a “closed session” for Bishops and SECAM Secretaries among other activities.

At the official opening ceremony scheduled to begin at 16h00 local time, Archbishop Arnaldo Sanchez Catalan, the Vatican diplomat in Rwanda, is to deliver Pope Leo XIV’s message to the participants in the SECAM Plenary Assembly organized under the theme, “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace”.

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The July 31 ceremony that is to start off with a musical interlude, followed by the introduction of the Catholic Bishops by countries and officials of the various delegations, and the singing of the Rwandan and Vatican anthems is to have several speeches, beginning with the Local Ordinary of Kigali Catholic Archdiocese, who doubles as the CEPR, Antoine Cardinal Kambanda.

The AUC Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, is scheduled to speak after the delivery of messages from the Consejo Episcopal Latinoamericano (CELAM) by Archbishop José Domingo Ulla, the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) by Ladislav Cardinal Nemet, the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) by Archbishop Thomas Robert Zinkula.

SECAM President, Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is to officially open the 20th Plenary Assembly in a 15-minute address after the AUC Chairperson’s speech.

The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, is scheduled to speak after SECAM President. A group photo with President Kagame is to precede the official opening ceremony’s closing prayer and final blessing.

Prior to the official opening ceremony, July 31 morning is to have SECAM Day Holy Mass to be presided over by Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson at Regina Pacis Parish of Kigali Archdiocese.

This is to be followed by an overview of the identity of SECAM described as “a reminder” which Archbishop Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle of Ghana’s Cape Coast Archdiocese is to give.

The presentation of the SECAM Triennial Report by the President, Cardinal Ambongo is to follow. SECAM President’s report that is to extend into the afternoon is to be punctuated by “open interventions” as well as remarks on MISSIO Invest by Fr. Andrew Small.

Key sessions slated for August 1 include Holy Mass at the Kigali Convention Center, and a presentation on the theme of the 20th Plenary Assembly of SECAM.

The presentation, discussion, approval, and adoption of the SECAM vision document titled, “The Vision of the Church, Family of God in Africa and its Islands for the next 25 years (2025–2050)” has also been scheduled alongside another document, “Pastoral Accompaniment (Care) of Persons in Situation of Polygamy”.

Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of Nigeria’s  Oyo Catholic Diocese is to address participants on the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS); Helen Osman is to speak on the World Catholic Association for Communication, SIGNIS, and on Radio Horeb, Fr. Richard Kocher.

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SECAM has set aside August 2 primarily for internal meetings of Bishops and secretaries general. During this time, theologians will prepare the final message of the plenary and a message to the Holy Father, while other participants will be free to visit the Genocide Memorial.

On August 3, delegates are to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Kibeho, where the closing Mass will be celebrated in French by the SECAM President. During this Eucharistic celebration, the message of the 20th Plenary Assembly is to be read out.

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