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Africa
Catholic Bishop of Jinja Diocese in Uganda Laid to Rest amid Calls to Uphold Vision “to be one”
Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere of Uganda's Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala has encouraged the people of God in Jinja Catholic Diocese to uphold the unity and pastoral vision of their Bishop, the late Charles Martin Wamika who was laid to rest on Tuesday, October 28.
Nigeria’s Catholic Youths Urged to Rediscover Faith, Reject Social Vices, “become agents of peace”
Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja in Nigeria has challenged young people in the West African nation to renew their faith, embrace moral discipline, and play active roles in promoting peace and national transformation.
Boston Exhibit Features In-depth Look at Ancestry of Pope Leo XIV
American Ancestors, a national center for family history, heritage, and culture, has created the “The Ancestry of Pope Leo XIV: An American Story” exhibit.
We’re “supporting religious institutions of historical significance”: Ugandan President at Catholic Anniversary Event
Uganda’s President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has reaffirmed his administrations’ commitment to “supporting religious institutions of historical significance”, saying such initiatives play a vital role in fostering faith and promoting religious tourism in the East African nation.
Catholic Priest Appeals for “government’s partnership” in Ongoing National Shrine Construction in Kampala, Uganda
The National Director of the Devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus in Uganda has called on the Ugandan government to support the ongoing construction of the National Shrine of St. Jude, which he describes as both “a pastoral mission and a national project."
Today, October 29, We Celebrate St. Narcissus
St. Narcissus was born towards the end of the first century, and he was nearly 80 years old when he was named as the 30th bishop of Jerusalem.
Church in Africa “gift of life”: Pope Leo XIV at Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies
Pope Leo XIV has recognized with appreciation Africa’s vibrant faith and missionary dynamism, describing the Church on the continent as “a gift of life” to the entire Universal Church.
Court in Kenya Exonerates Catholic Sister Earlier Detained over Colleague’s Death, Names Her State Witness
Sr. Caroline Kanjiru, a member of the Nazareth Sisters of the Annunciation(NSA) in Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Meru, has been exonerated by a Kenyan court after being held as the prime suspect in the October 12 murder of her colleague, Sr. Anselmina Karimi.
Religious Leaders Call for Peaceful Participation in Tanzania’s October 29 General Elections
As voters in Tanzanian head to the polls on Wednesday, October 29, faith-based leaders have issued a united plea for peace, urging citizens in the East African nation to safeguard the country’s long-standing stability.
Incumbent Secures Fourth Term in Ivory Coast’s Presidential Poll, Religious Leaders Call for Peace
President Alassane Ouattara has secured a fourth term in office following Ivory Coast’s October 25 presidential election, according to provisional results announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI).
“Keep the flame of faith and hope alive,” Spiritan Bishop in Angola Urges Newly Ordained Priests
Bishop Maurício Agostinho Camuto of the Catholic Diocese of Caxito in Angola has called upon three newly ordained Priests to become steadfast witnesses of faith and sources of hope in their ministry among God’s people.
Nigerians “dying for a living”: Catholic Bishop Decries Persistent Violence, Calls for Global Support
Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto in Nigeria has decried the wave of killings and insecurity in the West African nation and termed the situation “a national tragedy.”
Land Grabbing “matter of growing concern” in Uganda, Catholic Archbishop Laments, Appeals for Intervention
Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere of Uganda’s Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala has decried the rising cases of land grabbing in the East African nation, describing the situation as “a matter of growing concern” that even threatens Church property.
Today, October 28, We Celebrate St. Jude Thaddeus
St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Lesser, and a relative of Jesus. Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia.
At Double Jubilee of Ghana’s Cape Coast Archdiocese, Papal Delegate Calls for Walking “forward with Confidence”
Wilfrid Fox Cardinal Napier of South Africa, Papal Delegate to the Double Jubilee celebration – marking both the ongoing Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year and the 75th anniversary of the elevation of Ghana’s Cape Coast Church to an Archdiocese – has urged the people of God to move forward with confidence, grounded in gratitude for their past, commitment to the present, and faith in God’s promises for the future.
Africa’s Second-longest Serving President Re-elected in Cameroon, Bishop Appeals for Prayers for Peace amid Protests
As Cameroon’s Constitutional Council confirmed the re-election of President Paul Biya, Africa’s second-longest-serving head of State after President Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea, a Catholic Bishop in the Central African nation has called for calm, justice, and peace amid mounting post-election protests.
Benin-born Former Vatican Culture Secretary Dies at 83, Eulogized as “great theologian”
Bishop Barthélemy Adoukonou, a native of Benin and former Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture at the Vatican, has passed on at the age of 83. Bishop Adoukonou passed on shortly after midnight on Monday, October 27, at the University Teaching Hospital in Cotonou, the Local Ordinary of Cotonou Catholic Archdiocese who doubles as the President of the Episcopal Conference of Benin (CEB) announced in a statement. “A great theologian, educator, and man of faith, Bishop Adoukonou devoted his entire life to the service of God, the Church, and culture,” Archbishop Roger Houngbédji says in the October 27 statement. Archbishop Houngbédji notes that as former Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Bishop Adoukonou “worked with intelligence and passion to foster dialogue between faith and reason, between the Gospel and African cultures.” “His teaching, wisdom, and deep love for the Church have profoundly influenced generations of Priests, women and men Religious, intellectuals, and lay faithful,” the member of the Order of Preachers (OP/Dominicans) says. He further says the late Bishop’s passing “leaves a great void in the life of the Church and the intellectual world, but his radiant witness remains a precious spiritual and cultural legacy.” “We commend his soul to the mercy of the Lord, in the firm belief that Christ, conqueror of death, welcomes him into the joy of His Kingdom,” Archbishop Houngbédji says, and adds, “Funeral arrangements will be communicated at a later date.” Bishop Adoukonou served as rector of Saint-Paul di Djimé Major Seminary in Benin from 1977 to 1984; professor of fundamental theology at the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) in Abidjan Ivory Coast, from 1978 to 1982. From 2000 to 2009, Bishop Adoukonou served as Secretary of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA). In December 2009, he was appointed Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture and was ordained Bishop in October 2011. The founder of the Movement Le Sillon Noir (Mewihwendo), which he animated from its inception in 1970 until 1999 also served as member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, and the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, now the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. He was also a member of the International Theological Commission for two five-year terms. In another statement issued October 27, the Rector of the Catholic University of the Congo (UCC) described Bishop Adoukonou as an “undisputed and indisputable master of the inculturation of the Christian faith in Africa.” Fr. Léonard Santedi Kinkupu recalled that the late Bishop Adoukonou, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university’s Faculty of Theology, “was one of the pioneers of African theology.” “The Theological School of Kinshasa pays a vibrant tribute to this master,” Fr. Santedi says, adding that his 1977 doctoral thesis, Foundations for an African Theology: An Essay on a Christian Hermeneutic of the Dahomean Vodun, written under the supervision of Professor Joseph Ratzinger – later Pope Benedict XVI – “remains a masterpiece in theology and a major contribution to the essential and ever-demanding dialogue between faith and culture.” Fr. Santedi extends his condolences “to the biological and religious family of the deceased, as well as to the entire African academic community,” and commends his soul “to your fervent prayers.” “May the Lord welcome him into His Kingdom and grant him the reward promised to the good and faithful servant,” the UCC Rector implores.
Remembered as “a man of dialogue, reflection”, Second Bishop of DR Congo’s Goma Diocese Dies at 90
Bishop Faustin Ngabu, the second Bishop of the Goma Catholic Diocese in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has passed on after a prolonged illness. He was aged 90.
Over 100 Christians Killed in Nigeria, 120 Abducted in 76 Days: Intersociety Report
A new report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) covering the period between August 10 and October 26 has revealed that in just the 76 days, over 100 Christians in Nigeria were killed, and 120 others kidnapped by jihadist groups.
In Extensive Campaign, Caritas Freetown Constructs Rehab Centre for Underage Girls Addicted to Killer Drug “kush”
Young girls under the age of 14 who are addicted to the killer drug “kush” in Sierra Leone will find help in an ongoing campaign by Caritas Freetown to address the rampant use of the substance, which has been officially classified by authorities in the country as a national epidemic.
