Amid Foreign Funds Cut, Overseas Catholic Church Development Agencies Assure SECAM of Continued Support for Africa

As that is not enough, Fr. Frick added that the donations from German parishes have also been decreasing. With the decrease of funds in parishes and government cuts in taxes, he said that “we have to reduce Misereor’s financial commitments.”

Fr. Andreas Frick. Credit: ACI Africa

For this reason, the Director General of Misereor, since July 1 last year, told SECAM members, “It is thus all the more important that you support fundraising efforts in your local churches. Misereor is already proactively raising this topic in our dialogue with partners.”

“At the same time, we want to reassure you that even with reduced financial means, Misereor will continue to cooperate with the Church and civil society in Africa, Asia, and Latin America,” he said at the five-day assembly set to end Monday, August 4.

Fr. Frick said that even if they are crippled financially, they will still offer support, explaining, “Cooperation is not merely of a financial nature; we will continue to cooperate well and, in a future-oriented way.”

Fr. Andreas Frick. Credit: ACI Africa

“Together, we should stand by the poor – independent of their ethnicity, gender or religion – and work towards a better life for all with justice, peace and integrity of creation,” he said, and added, “Cooperating with the Church and civil society in Africa, Asia and Latin America will continue to be at the core of Misereor’s mandate.”

Even amid increasing challenges, the member of the Clergy of Germany’s Catholic Diocese of Aachen said, “It is all the more important to firmly hold on to the Gospel for all people and to trust in the message of Jesus of peace for all people.”

“The least we as Church and civil society actors can do is to remain at the side of the poor and marginalized, to jointly decry injustices and to create room for dialogues to strengthen justice and peace, however difficult the situation,” he said.

Fr. Andreas Frick. Credit: ACI Africa

Themed “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace”, SECAM’s 20th Plenary Assembly seeks to build on what the 19th Plenary Assembly, which was held in July 2022, mandated Africa’s Catholic Bishops to accomplish.

In the separate August 1 solidarity message to the Catholic Bishops in Africa, the leadership of CRS, the humanitarian arm of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), thanked SECAM for the continued fraternal relationship, especially during the abrupt funding cut by the Donald Trump-led government.

The CRS leadership said that the “new orientation” brought about by the suspension of donations has significantly impacted organizations like ours that benefited from state subsidies.”

CRS Representative. Credit: ACI Africa

Acknowledging with appreciation the spiritual and financial support of partners, the U.S Catholics and people of goodwill, the leadership said, “Our organization will continue to fulfill its part in accomplishing our joint mission of fostering the integral development of our peoples, contributing to a more just and more united world.”

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Credit: ACI Africa

Even amid financial constraints, CRS reaffirmed its “unconditional attachment to the values of the Catholic Social Teaching” and pledged commitment to “always deliver quality service to all our brothers and sisters in humanity.”

Credit: ACI Africa

“The African continent is and will remain one of our priorities. We assure you that we will continue, within the limits of available means, to support the Church of the continent through SECAM and its regional and national ramifications, with which we have developed very good collaboration,” CRS leadership said in their August 1 message.