By Fr. Johnston Z. Mlambo
The Church must self-introspect and start acting justly to be a credible witness, advocate, and promoter of justice, peace, and integral human development.
This message resonated at the SECAM Secretaries’ meeting in Brazzaville, where solutions to Africa’s challenges were discussed.
The second day of the SECAM Secretaries’ meeting began with a Mass celebrated in English by Bishop Lucio Maundula of Mozambique.
The day’s agenda featured group discussions on two critical topics: “Promoting Justice, Peace, and Integral Human Development” and “Climate and Environment.”
Participants emphasised the need for the Church to self-examine and act justly to be a credible advocate for justice, peace, and human development.
They suggested that the Church collaborate with like-minded organisations to push for policies that promote justice and curb corruption.
It was noted that many national laws inadvertently promote corruption, such as the law of evidence, which can fuel corruption where there are no witnesses.
On the environment, the working groups discussed how African cultures insist on a harmonious relationship between humans and nature in communion with God and past and future generations.
They explored what the Church can do to focus on the ecological dimension of evangelisation.
Recommendations included planting indigenous trees, advocating for reduced chemical use that harms the land, opposing GMOs to protect local and indigenous seeds, and promoting green energies as alternatives to fossil fuels.
Participants highlighted the role of Catholic universities in safeguarding the environment by offering courses that address these issues.
They also emphasised incorporating environmental and climate courses at all levels of Catholic education.
Living simpler lives, reducing pollution through reuse and recycling, advocating for responsible mining, and promoting smart agriculture were identified as ways to support environmental sustainability.
After the group discussions, SECAM President Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, who had been in Canada, addressed the Secretaries General (SGs) upon his return.
Travelling from Kinshasa to Brazzaville by speedboat, Cardinal Ambongo thanked the SGs for their service to the Church, underscoring SECAM’s importance as a platform for Africa and her islands to speak with one voice.
He referenced Fiducia Supplicans and how African Synodal preparations had unified the African Church.
“SECAM remains relevant, and if it were not there with the Synodal approach prevalent today, it would have had to be invented,” he said.
He urged Secretaries General to ensure SECAM’s work and activities are known in local Churches, stressing the Church’s newfound recognition and influence in the universal Church.
He challenged SECAM members to strive for self-reliance, noting that demanding respect while continuing to beg from the same people is inconsistent.
After lunch, Cardinal Ambongo returned to Kinshasa for a meeting with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in his archdiocese, where he will ordain 21 priests tomorrow.
Cardinal Ambongo, one of the nine Cardinals advising Pope Francis, is respected for articulating the African Church’s position when Fiducia Supplicans was issued.
Fr. Stephen Kizito Okello, SECAM’s representative at the African Union as the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Officer, emphasised SECAM’s importance in an interview after supper.
“SECAM is an African outfit for the Catholic Church, and it is good that we have this outfit,” he said.
He advocated for creating channels to raise SECAM’s profile among priests and the faithful, highlighting its potential to unite the Church and the continent.
“SECAM touches the entire African continent from North to South, East to West,” he continued.
“It is an organization we cannot do without, whose role we cannot doubt or discourage. SECAM is the only forum where we can have a common agenda for Africa as the Catholic Church.”
Fr. Okello also stressed the importance of SECAM’s collaboration with the African Union (AU), noting the moral perspective the Church can bring to political issues like climate change, migration, and good governance.
He mentioned that SECAM and the AU have collaborated for nine years, with a recently revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under review to clarify and expand this partnership.
Reflecting on the SECAM meeting, Fr. Okello noted its significance in gauging the enthusiasm of the Secretary Generals from national secretariats and regional offices.
“This is important because I will have to work with these people hand in hand when soliciting information,” he said, underscoring the need to strengthen communication between SECAM and its stakeholders.