Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – In an inspiring homily during the liturgical celebration for the III Pan-African Catholic Jubilee Congress on Theology, Society and Pastoral Life which is also the day marking Côte d’Ivoire’s Independence Day, in the auditorium of Catholic University of Abidjan, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo the President of SECAM made a passionate call to the delegates of the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN), urging them to embody the patience, humility, and deep spiritual maturity needed for the Church in Africa to fulfill its mission.
Speaking against the backdrop of the nation’s day of “memory, hope, and gratitude for the gift of freedom, peace, unity, and the common good,” Cardinal Ambongo drew inspiration from the day’s scripture readings, reflecting on the leadership examples of Moses and Peter.
Scriptural Reflections on Leadership
“We meet an exhausted Moses, faced with the frustration of his people,” the Cardinal said. “Though the rock gave water, he reacted with anger. As pastors and pastoral agents, our people cry out for justice, peace, and equity; but do we act from emotion and anger, or from the maturity of the Spirit?” He cautioned that leadership in Africa today requires patience to guide rather than the impulse to react. “We are invited not to strike with anger, but to accompany our people with patience and love,” he added.
Turning to the Gospel, Cardinal Ambongo noted the paradox in Peter’s journey, the bold apostle who declared Christ as the Messiah and was made the rock of the Church, but who later became a stumbling block and was rebuked. “Even in our best moments, we must remain open to ongoing conversion,” he warned. “We should not go ahead of Christ, but allow Him to go before us.”
A Call to Incarnational Theology
He also reminded the Church in Africa of Pope Francis’ caution against seeking applause for service: “The heart of synodality is walking together, listening to the Spirit, and allowing our hearts to be directed by the Spirit, not our emotions and minds.” Calling for a more incarnational and pastoral approach, Cardinal Ambongo urged African theologians to “come down from books and pulpits to touch the lives of ordinary people — the market women, the young unemployed graduates — to be deeply Catholic and close to our people.”
A Blessing for Africa’s Future
He concluded with a challenge and a blessing: “Be like Peter, with the courage to proclaim Christ and the humility to be corrected; be like Moses, but without striking the rock.”
As Côte d’Ivoire celebrated its national pride, Cardinal Ambongo prayed that the moment would become “a defining sign of unity for the African Church.” He entrusted the continent to Mary, Mother of Africa, that it might remain “a place of hope, where the youth and all our people can thrive in peace.”
