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Burkina Faso

Phillip Cardinal Ouédraogo, President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), currently being treated for COVID-19.

African Cardinal Hospitalized for COVID-19 Calls for “solidarity” in Tackling Pandemic

Apr 8, 2020

The Archbishop of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, Phillip Cardinal Ouédraogo who was hospitalized at the end of last month for COVID-19 has, in his message on the occasion of Palm Sunday celebrated April 5, called for solidarity in the care for patients diagnosed with the virus that has claimed at least 82,000 lives globally.

Phillip Cardinal Ouédraogo, President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), currently being treated for COVID-19.

Church Leaders Express Solidarity with African Cardinal Being Treated for COVID-19

Apr 2, 2020

The news of the hospitalization of the President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), Phillip Cardinal Ouédraogo, with COVID-19 was received with shock across the continent, with Catholic Church leaders known to the Burkinabe Prelate expressing their solidarity in messages seen by ACI Africa.

Phillip Cardinal Ouedraogo, President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He tested positive for COVID-19 March 30, 2020.

SECAM President First African Cardinal known to Test Positive for COVID-19

Apr 1, 2020

The President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), Phillip Cardinal Ouédraogo, has tested positive for COVID-19. The Burkinabe Prelate is the first African Cardinal known to have the virus that has infected at least 591,246 across the globe.  

Msgr. Séraphin François Rouamba, Archbishop emeritus of Burkina Faso’s Koupela Archdiocese,  the first African Catholic Prelate known to test positive for COVID-19.

Burkinabé Archbishop First African Catholic Prelate Known to Test Positive for COVID-19

Mar 27, 2020

The Archbishop emeritus of Burkina Faso’s Koupela Archdiocese, Séraphin François Rouamba has tested positive for COVID-19, the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger (CEBN) has confirmed in a March 25 statement.

Bishop Laurent Birfuoré Dabiré (Centre), President of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger (CEBN), during the presentation of the statement of the Bishops.

Funerals, a Family Affair, Burkina Faso Bishops Say as Country Records COVID-19 Death

Mar 20, 2020

Catholic Bishops in Burkina Faso and Niger have, in a collective statement, announced the suspension of public Mass in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 after the West African nation of Burkina Faso recorded the first death due to the pandemic.

Fr. Pierre Claver Belemsigri, Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina and Niger. / Aid to the Church in Need

Burkina Faso Forum to Reflect on “what it means to be a Christian in insecurity context”

Mar 17, 2020

Amid increasing concerns of insecurity in the Sahel, Church leaders in the West African nation of Burkina Faso, where places of worship have been targeted in attack, are planning a forum that will offer Christians in the landlocked country an opportunity to reflect on their Christian calling in the face of persecution.

Catholic Christians use sanitizer provided by the Church to clean their hands to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after a Sunday Mass at the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi, Kenya. March 15, 2020. / REUTERS/Njeri Mwangi

What Church Leaders in Africa Have Instructed to Prevent Spread of COVID-19

Mar 16, 2020

The pandemic of coronavirus that has spread to well over 80 countries across the world including at least 26 in Africa has prompted the taking of precautionary measures aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly virus, with the global death toll having surpassed 5,300.

Phillip Cardinal Ouédraogo, President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)

Faced with Many Challenges, “Africa needs in-depth evangelization”: SECAM President

Mar 11, 2020

In a bid to mitigate the “series of challenges” that the people of God on the African continent face today, the President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has, in an interview with ACI Africa, noted that “in-depth evangelization” is necessary.

Phillip Cardinal Ouedraogo, President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Interreligious dialogue Vital “in fight against terrorism in Sahel”: SECAM President

Mar 8, 2020

As the crisis in the Sahel region deepens, with reports of recurrent terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad, the President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has told ACI Africa that interreligious dialogue is quite significant in resolving the conflict and called on the West to stop arms trade on the continent.

Poster of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union that took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: February 9-10, 2020 under the theme, “Silencing arms to create conditions conducive to the development of Africa.” / African Union

“Forgive us, grant that the guns be silent, a sweet song may rise”: SECAM President to AU

Feb 11, 2020

At the two-day Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) that concluded Monday, February 10, the President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), Philippe Cardinal Nakellentuba Ouédraogo highlighted some of the challenges bedeviling the people of God on the continent and, in his prayer, implored God for forgiveness and the renewal of hope.

Anti-abortion, and pro-family activists hold placards during a prayer rally organized by CitizenGo in Nairobi, on November 14, 2019 / The Heritage Foundation

Church to Educate Burkinabe Women on Dangers of Chemical Abortion Tests

Feb 6, 2020

After research initiatives on the effectiveness of abortion-inducing tablets for women who are at least 12 weeks pregnant failed to take off in the U.S., a research organization based in the same country decided, a couple of years ago, to cross several borders to the West African country of Burkina Faso to conduct the study, testing chemical abortion on women with limited resources, ACI Africa established.

Msgr. Michael Francis Crotty ,the newly-appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Burkina Faso

Irish Prelate to Represent the Holy Father in Burkina Faso

Feb 4, 2020

Pope Francis has appointed Msgr. Michael Francis Crotty who has been serving as the First Counsellor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Spain since 2017, to be his representative in the West African nation of Burkina Faso.

Francophone Africa Conference, part of a series of continental conferences by the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) that have been organized for the celebration of last October’s Extraordinary Missionary Month / Fr. Donald Zagore

Francophone Africa Conference Recommends Training, Small Christian Communities Initiatives

Feb 3, 2020

The need to develop initiatives that advance knowledge about dialogue among members of different religions and the new way of being Church in Africa through Small Christian Communities (SCCs) were among recommendations during the French-speaking Africa conference that brought together dozens of participants from 16 countries who deliberated on the contemporary evangelization ministry on the continent.

African Church Leaders Condemn Chemical Abortion Tests on Burkinabé Women

Jan 22, 2020

After research initiatives on the effectiveness of abortion-inducing tablets for women who are at least 12 weeks pregnant failed to take off in the U.S., a research organization based in the same country decided, a couple of years ago, to cross several borders to the West African country of Burkina Faso to conduct the study, testing chemical abortion on women with limited resources, ACI Africa has established.

Sr.Pauline, the General Superior of the congregation with Sr. Marie-Bernadetter, the Former General Superior / Aid to the Church in Need.

Nuns in Burkina Faso Providing Safe Haven for Victims of Ongoing Violence

Jan 22, 2020

Days after reports cited West African-based official of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) calling upon stakeholders in the African Sahel region to go beyond military intervention and address the root causes of the region’s conflict including “extreme poverty, high youth unemployment, a lack of education,” leaders of a religious congregation of nuns have shared about their initiative in providing a safe haven for victims of the conflict.

Map representing countries with the Sahel in Africa, a region affected by violence

Sahel Crisis: CRS Official Advices Going “beyond military to address root causes”

Jan 17, 2020

Some days after France and five Sahel nations in Western Africa met and agreed early this week to advance their military cooperation in the fight against jihadist insurgency destabilizing the countries of the region, a West African-based official of the humanitarian arm of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has underscored the need for stakeholders “to address the root causes of the conflict” even as military interventions are  being considered.

Mifepristone and Misoprostol, drugs being used by US-based Company Gynuity to test Chemical Abortion on Women in Burkina Faso

A U.S. Company Testing Chemical Abortion on Women in Africa: Church Leaders’ Take

Jan 7, 2020

After research initiatives on the effectiveness of abortion-inducing tablets for women who are at least 12 weeks pregnant failed to take off in the U.S., a research organization based in the same country decided, a couple of years ago, to cross several borders to the West African country of Burkina Faso to conduct the study, testing chemical abortion on women with limited resources, ACI Africa has established.

Thomas Heine-Beldern, President of Aid to the Church in Need

“2019 one of the bloodiest for Christians in history”: Head of Global Catholic Charity

Jan 3, 2020

The President of the international Catholic pastoral charitable organization, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Thomas Heine-Beldern, has described the just ended year, 2019, as a year with a significantly high record of attacks targeting Christians across the globe, including Africa where Christians have been murdered in West Africa.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculation Conception in Ouagadougou. Credit: Rita Willaert via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0).

There Were Over 800 Extremist Attacks in West Africa in 2019

Dec 19, 2019

Extremist attacks have risen dramatically in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, from 180 incidents in 2017 to more than 800 violent attacks in 2019, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Mifepristone and Misoprostol, drugs being used in by US-based Company Gynuity to test Chemical Abortion on Women in Burkina Faso

A U.S. Company Testing Chemical Abortion on Women in Africa: What We Know

Dec 19, 2019

After research initiatives on the effectiveness of abortion-inducing tablets for women who are at least 12 weeks pregnant failed to take off in the U.S., a research organization based in the same country decided, a couple of years ago, to cross several borders to the West African country of Burkina Faso to conduct the study, testing chemical abortion on women with limited resources, ACI Africa has established.