“Be stars that lead others to Christ”: Cameroonian Catholic Bishop to Christians on Epiphany Sunday

He identified this as the primary mission of a Bishop: “To lead the people of God on the paths of faith, hope, and charity. 

To fulfill this mission, he said, Bishops must show courage and humility—virtues born of faith.

“It took courage to understand the meaning of the star and to set out toward the unknown,” Bishop Nfon said, comparing the journey of the Magi to the challenges Church leaders face today.

He went on to reflect on the difficulties of proclaiming the faith amid dominant ideologies and widespread agnosticism.

“The courage to oppose the dominant thought is particularly urgent for a Bishop today,” he said, clarifying that such courage does not mean aggression but “fidelity—remaining firm in truth even when questioned or misunderstood.”

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Turning to the gifts offered by the Magi—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—Bishop Nfon invited each Christian to reflect on the gifts they present to God.

“The best gift we can offer to Christ is our faith, our hope, and our love,” he said, emphasizing that love of God must be expressed concretely through love of neighbor.

Bishop Nfon also reflected on the Magi’s return “by another way,” interpreting it as a symbol of transformation.

“Meeting Christ changes our way of thinking, our way of doing things, and our way of relating with one another. You cannot meet Jesus and go back empty,” he said.

The Eucharistic celebration also marked the opening of the 49th Annual Seminar of members of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC).

The January 3-10 seminar is under the theme “Communion and Collegiality.”

In his homily, Bishop Nfon expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Christians of Kumba Diocese for their patience, hospitality, and warm reception of the Catholic Bishops.

“Today, they have gathered from all corners of our Diocese, together with our guests and the civil authority, to join the Bishops of Cameroon to do homage to our Lord, like the three wise men,” he said.

While acknowledging that many had come to see the Bishops, the Local Ordinary of Kumba emphasized the purpose of the gathering, saying, “Our main and primary role is to lead you to God. We need your prayers, that the Lord may grant us the courage, humility, and faith to shine like stars, guiding you on the way that leads to Christ.”

Entrusting the Church in Cameroon to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom he invoked as “Star of the Sea” and “Star of the East,” Bishop Nfon prayed that she may guide both pastors and faithful to her Son.

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Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.