Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – August 09, 2025
The Church in Africa, through the voices of the members of the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network, has once again raised its voice in prayer and commitment to proclaim that it is not just a Church that carries the weight of history but also the promise of the future.
After five days of prayer, reflection, and theological dialogue, the III Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress on Theology, Society, and Pastoral Life concluded in Abidjan with the release of an important communiqué —the Final Statement on Hope for African Society.
Delegates came from every corner of Africa and from the global Catholic family: lay leaders, bishops, priests, consecrated women and men, deacons, theologians, youth, Catholic communicators, and partners in mission. They brought with them the wounds and joys of their communities, and they return home bearing a renewed vision. They go home bearing a vision and a hope with a face; a hope not an idea, but a Person: Jesus Christ, crucified and risen.
A Jubilee Moment for Africa
The Congress unfolded within a providential alignment of anniversaries:
- The Jubilee of Hope declared by Pope Francis for the universal Church in 2025.
- The 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, safeguarding the confession of Christ’s divinity.
- The 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, whose vision of the People of God as a pilgrim Church continues to inspire renewal.
These milestones framed the deliberations, but the heartbeat of the gathering was the conviction that Africa’s destiny is one of hope, service, and transformation.
Core Themes and Commitments
In its Final Statement, the Congress reaffirmed that the Church in Africa is synodal, missionary, and self-reliant, drawing on its own spiritual and cultural resources to serve both the continent and the universal Church.
It pledged to:
- Stand firm in the face of wars, corruption, poverty, and ecological crises.
- Heal divisions and build structures of reconciliation.
- Support African missionaries at home and abroad, even in contexts where racism and immigration restrictions hinder their work.
- Embrace the digital continent as a new mission field, providing formation and support for African Catholic influencers.
Africa’s Gift to the World
The Statement celebrates the African family as the heartbeat of society, highlighting the contributions of women, youth, and elders as carriers of cultural wisdom and builders of community. It points to countless stories of resilience — women leading peace processes, youth evangelising online, lay leaders serving with integrity, and clergy and religious persevering in hardship.
A Call to Action
The closing section of the statement is a direct appeal to all African Christians and people of goodwill all over the world:
Be agents of hope and reconciliation. Build unity across every divide. Defend human dignity. Care for creation. Support the Church’s mission.
Entrusting the continent to Our Lady of Africa, the Congress ended with a prayer that God’s plans for Africa will be fulfilled — plans “for peace, for a future, and for hope” (Jer 29:11).
The Final Statement on Hope for Africa is not just a theological document; it is a rallying cry for a new chapter in the Church’s journey on this continent — one marked by deeper communion, courageous mission, and a confident witness to the Gospel in every sphere of life.
