The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) is preparing to unveil its Triennial Strategic Plan (2025–2028) during its 20th Plenary Assembly, scheduled for July 30 to August 4 in Kigali, Rwanda. The gathering will also mark the beginning of a leadership renewal process, in accordance with the organization’s constitution.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 23, SECAM Secretary General, Fr. Rafael Simbine Júnior, confirmed that the high-level ecclesiastical meeting would take place under the theme: «Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace. » This assembly is seen as a continuation of the work mandated during the 19th Plenary Assembly, held in Accra, Ghana in 2022, which focused on ownership of SECAM and the pressing issues of security and migration across Africa and its islands.
The Kigali gathering is expected to deliver a comprehensive roadmap for the next three years, alongside a long-term vision document extending to 2050. The strategic vision, which has been shaped by input from theologians, clergy, and lay experts, is built on 12 foundational pillars. These include evangelization, youth engagement, environmental stewardship, digital mission, political responsibility, Church governance, family leadership, and health and well-being.
A major highlight of the 2024 Plenary will be SECAM’s theological and pastoral approach to complex cultural realities, particularly polygamous unions. According to Fr. Simbine, this subject has been a key area of focus following directives from the Synod on Synodality, initially launched by the late Pope Francis in 2021 and extended to 2024. African bishops were encouraged to offer deeper theological and pastoral insights on polygamy and the accompaniment of those in such unions who seek to live out their faith.
📰 Also Read This:
To this end, a pastoral document titled «Accompaniment of Persons in Polygamous Situations» will be presented and discussed during the Kigali Assembly. This is in addition to a theological reflection on the assembly’s core theme and a draft document titled «The Vision of the Church–Family of God in Africa and Its Islands: 2025–2050. »
The event will include liturgical celebrations, plenary discussions, departmental reports, and working group sessions. It will culminate with a final message to the Church and society.
The long-term vision, formulated during a prior high-level seminar in Accra, outlines SECAM’s commitment to a Church that is self-sustaining, family-centered, youth-driven, ecumenically engaged, and socially responsible. Among its strategic objectives, are enhancing theological formation, promoting justice and peace, advancing interfaith dialogue, improving Catholic education, and embracing digital tools for evangelization.
As SECAM prepares to gather in Kigali, African Catholics and observers alike are looking forward to the outcomes of what is expected to be a landmark assembly shaping the future of the Church on the continent.
