Planned National Reconciliation Congress in Angola Opportunity for “another vision, other ideals”: Catholic Archbishop

The Catholic Church leader continued, “As the Church, we believe this is the moment, as Angolans, to embrace another vision, new ideals, a different way of approaching politics, and a renewed way of seeing and engaging society and the citizen.”

The CEAST President added, “We came to present the program we have for this Congress, and we were satisfied with His Excellency, the President’s willingness to participate in the Congress, which we hope will truly be the Congress of Reconciliation.”

The 59-year-old Angolan Catholic Archbishop further explained that “the National Reconciliation Congress, promoted by the Catholic Church as part of the 50 years of national independence, seeks to bring together all the living forces of the nation in an unprecedented exercise of listening, forgiveness, and commitment.”

The event, he said, is to conclude with a national ecumenical service, “as a symbol of spiritual and political unity.”

He emphasized that reconciliation must exclude no one, saying, “We are all aligned and committed to making this great moment for the nation happen. We want to bring together all perspectives and conclude with a gesture of faith and commitment to the common good.”

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The three-day event, organized under the auspices of CEAST’s Commission for Justice and Integrity of Creation, was initially scheduled for October 29–31 but has been postponed to the first week of November.

According to the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Fr. Celestino Epalanga, speaking on Thursday, September 2, the rescheduling was necessary because the dates coincided with the African Union (AU) Summit.

He underscored the irreplaceable importance of the Head of State’s presence, stating:

“The President of the Republic cannot be absent. This is not only CEAST’s wish; in my dialogues with other institutions, the recurring question has been: ‘Will the President attend?’ I have always said yes, because it makes no sense to speak of a Congress of Reconciliation without him,” Fr. Epalanga told journalists on October 1.

He added, “The absence of the President, hypothetically, would be a handicap. It is like a family preparing a banquet and leaving either the mother or the father out. We are dealing with a very serious issue for the country.”

The Angolan member of the Society of Jesus (SJ/Jesuits) explained that, when officially invited to the event, the President revealed he could not attend on the initially scheduled dates.

 “It makes no sense to talk about national reconciliation without the President’s presence. He is the nation’s leader. His absence would be like organizing a banquet without the father or mother. This event involves all of us,” he said.

He said the Church is in contact with political parties represented in parliament, traditional authorities, professional orders, unions, and civil society organizations to ensure the participation of all sectors of the country.

Fr. Epalanga explained that the Congress was designed to heal Angola’s historical wounds and that the methodology adopted will not leave room for accusations but rather for responsibility and mutual listening. 

“We do not want a space to throw stones at each other. We want a space for healing memories. We all have guilt—through acts or omissions—and we must begin with self-accusation,” he said.

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