Pan-African Congress Offers Prophetic Vision for Changing Church and World

What ‘Africa’ are we talking about? There is the Africa of the past that is still enduring, and the Africa that is completely new.”  

This observation by a delegate to the III Pan-African Jubilee Congress on Theology, Society and Pastoral Life, in many ways captures to spirit of the gathering which convened in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire last month. Convoked by the Pan-African Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN), this dynamic gathering of theologians, clergy, women religious, lay pastoral leaders  and young people, was marked by a forthright embrace of complexity, the willingness to question assumptions, and, above all, a vision for the church in Africa, and the Church Universal, as a synodal community actively committed to social and spiritual transformation. 

For myself as a US delegate and representative of the United States Catholic Mission Association, it was a privileged moment of encounter with diverse perspectives from across the continent (and beyond), as well as profound spiritual and intellectual growth. It was also a call to discernment. The unique reality of the African church and people, including their response to a rapidly changing society and world, challenge those of us in the Global North and West to reckon with the biases, practices and ecclesial structures which fail to acknowledge and, in many cases, work to impede African protagonism. It also calls us to cultivate a greater openness to and appreciation of the pivotal role that Africa—and the Global South more broadly—plays in our collective spiritual, pastoral and social revitalization. 

Shifting Landscapes 

Any discussion of the church in Africa needs to begin with an honest assessment of the continent’s placement within the wider Church. As noted during the Congress by Rev. Dr. Théogène Havugimana, a priest of the Diocese of Nyundo, Rwanda and researcher at the Catholic University of Leuven, we have seen a massive shift in Christianity to the Global South since the latter half of the 20th Century. According Havugimana, in 1900, some 80% of the world’s Christians resided in Europe and North America. Today, the majority of Catholics “do not live in Europe, or the global North,” according to the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at USC. On its own, Africa accounts for 20% of Catholics globally. 

Among other things, this growth makes the continent a seedbed of priestly vocations. As of 2024, African priests represented more than 13% of Catholic clergy worldwide, with African and Asian seminarians representing “over 60% of the Church’s future priests.” This includes scores of missionary priests helping to stem a pastoral crisis caused by a shortage of priestly vocations across the Europe and North America. Still, there is a palpable lack of appreciation of, and often outright bigotry towards, the spiritual, pastoral, and cultural gifts offered by this new missionary heart of the global People of God. As Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Vatican Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization, said during the Congress, too often, when it comes to the African clergy and women religious filling ministerial needs worldwide, “the church in Africa is seen as beggars.”  

Which is our loss. During the Congress’ opening Mass, Rev. Stan Chu Ilo, Coordinating Servant of PACTPAN, observed that, “The Church in Africa is alive: rooted in community, animated by the Spirit, and attentive to the suffering of the people.” From a US perspective, it’s a description of church that’s both appealing and, in our context, largely aspirational. Especially as our own nation faces mounting and interconnected socio-political, economic, and spiritual crises, the substance and tenor of the PACTPAN Congress presented a healthy and prophetic model for discernment and engagement within the church. 

Faith, Family and Community 

That model includes frank and clear-eyed dialogue around a range of ecclesial and societal challenges such as barriers to inclusion, social and political progress, ecological health, gender equity, youth empowerment, and diversity.  

“The African perspective has always been that Africans have ways of living that can help,” said Fr. Norman Atta, touting assets such as continent’s cultural diversity, religious pluralism, indigenous spiritualities and unique regional histories.  

This sentiment was echoed by Jerome Emmanuel Ekassi, a doctoral candidate at KU Leuven, who urged that the church in Africa “use what we have in stock from the African cultural heyday” to address contemporary challenges. 

According to Edelquinn Clementina Akighir, PACTPAN’s Assistant Program Director, this includes Pan-African cultural values such as the “belief in our shared reality” and the ujamma principle of shared leadership can point to answers on issues ranging from gender discrimination to clericalism.  

“Spiritual leadership in Africa is not mainly about religion,” she said during a Congress panel. “It is fundamentally about life.” 

Sister Florence Oso, EHJ, Deputy Head of the Department of Theology at SS. Peter & Paul Seminary, in Bodija, Ibadan, expanded upon the ujamma understanding, which, she says “expresses a family root” which “includes social justice and cooperation for the good of all…the sharing of work and wealth as we do in the family.” Family itself was a recurrent theme. Intimately connected with the “Church-Family of God” thematic current of the First African Synod, the family lens on church and society was both touted for its humanistic potential. As one delegated observed, “In Africa, family extends…we don’t have ‘cousins’: you are my brother, you are my sister.”  

Embracing Complexity 

Still, the conference was marked by a conscious effort to appreciate cultural gifts while avoiding what one delegate described as “romanticization” and “nostalgia.” This was perhaps best exemplified by the incorporation of the African practice of “palaver,” whereby delegates do not merely ask questions of panelists but instead offer their own contributions, including critiques, in an open forum. It was here that critical tensions and contradictions were named and explored: how to draw upon the gifts of a community-oriented culture while acknowledging trends towards individualism and materialism; how Pan-African identity brushes up against tribalism and interreligious conflict; how the church serves as a source of healing and progress but can also deepen wounds and succumb to a counter-cultural attitude whereby, as Fr. Paschal Okpaleke put it, “everything outside the Church is [seen as] opposed to the Gospel.” 

One delegate argued that the “family” framing of Church “perhaps submits to an ideology where you can choose [who belongs]” which, he said, is “no longer a Christian perspective.” He explained that “inclusion can become exclusion,” which, among other things, runs contrary to Jesus’ command to love our enemies.  

Another delegate echoed this thought, referencing the Rwanda genocide and what he described as “a culture of death that is developing.” Others mentioned divisions within the church and a lack of recognition of women and youth as examples of discord and disunity. 

 “We can only say that we are the African Church if we get community right,” said Sr. Oso. For her, this includes a commitment to care for others, justice and dialogue, as well as turning to “the originality of [African] culture” to discern paths forward. Through palaver, PACTPAN put this principle into action. 

Synodal Stirrings 

Matters of belonging, inclusion and representation extended beyond the continent. According to Fr. Stan Chu Ilo, when it comes to the Universal Church, the “position of Africa…is still unclear.” He elaborates in a recent article for Voice Afrique: “The Church on this continent is growing rapidly, but too often episcopal appointments are made from above, without genuine listening to the People of God.” Chu Ilo points to the recent Synod in questioning this dynamic. “If synodality means anything, it must mean real consultation in the selection of bishops…” He also urges Pope Leo to “ensure that Rome looks more like Africa,” specifically by transforming the Roman Curia to “include more African voices and faces, and especially African women, in key decision-making roles.” 

Synodality itself was a recurrent theme of the Congress. Sr. Rita Yamba, president of the Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar, explained that a synodal church is “a symbol of hope for the world, which is looking for communion, love and synodality.” For her, the work of forming what she calls “a united Africa open to the word of God” can only be achieved through genuine inclusion and listening to “all voices in the Church.”  

Fr. Vitalis Chinedu Anaehobi, Secretary General of the Reunion of Episcopal Conferences of West Africa, promoted “accountability,” “transparency,” and “participation,” noting that the synodal process will only bear fruit if the bishops get involved, particularly by “creating synodality at individual, local and parish levels.” Synodality, he said, is “not to produce documents; it is to introduce a new style of living in the Church.” That “new style,” he argues, requires that “those in charge,” specifically, priests and bishops, are accountable both to their own superiors and to the People of God, who, in turn, must “be formed in the synodal lifestyle.” 

To the latter point, Sr. Anne-Béatrice Faye, a member of the Vatican Theological Commission of the Synod, observed that the experience of synod needs “to be something concrete, practical – something we can touch.” For her, this includes learning to listen to one another, particularly to “hear others in their diversity” and the “opportunity to be in contact with people who are kept from the ecclesial reality.”  

In Africa, as in the entire Church, this synodal ethic calls for reexamination and discernment of the role of women, particularly in positions of leadership. In addressing that question, Fr. Ikenna Okafor, Editor-in-Chief of the Pan African Theology and Pastoral Studies Series (PATPASS) and Publisher of African Catholic Press (AfriCaP), posited that, whatever the lack of global consensus, synodality opens the door for experimentation with what he termed a “Magdalene role” at the local level. 

This sentiment was echoed throughout the conference, with delegates consistently raising the need for new concepts of leadership which recognize the voices of women, young people, and other sidelined identities within the church and broader society. This, of course, includes LGBTQ+ people. As of this month, 32 African nations have laws prohibiting homosexuality. During the panel on human rights and religious freedom, delegates were clear that while Christians face religious persecution in many parts of the continent, the church must also uphold our own responsibility to promote universal human dignity. As one delegate put it, “Religious convictions cannot interfere with human rights…We’re comfortable [with laws targeting LGBTQ+ people] because it doesn’t affect me, but it affects someone.”  

On the specific question of LGBTQ+ inclusion in a synodal church, Fr. Okafor pointed to the Gospel story of the woman accused of adultery (John 8:1-11): “What legitimizes placing people in the middle of moral scrutiny?” Going on, he proposed that, “We should be using the middle as a place of healing and liberation, not moral judgment.” 

Continental Divides 

While the practicalities of addressing these concerns are often specific to local context, as a US American Catholic, I found the level of discourse here refreshing and instructive. Ever since Pope Francis first announced the Synod on Synodality, there has been an assumption by some within the US church that Western professional and cultural norms mean that, functionally, synodality is already taking place. In truth, professionalization of ministries, bureaucracy and cultural shifts from passive participation to active disengagement and disaffiliation create increasing spiritual, communal and authoritative distance between the lay faithful and formal church leadership, as well as between the church and broader society. Many people feel actively or effectively excluded based on an array of identities: race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, physical ability. Lay participation, when it occurs as all, often does so outside of parish and diocesan structures which people perceive as failing to recognize, appreciate and integrate the vocations, skills and perspectives of the diverse lay faithful.  

This is particularly true when it comes to faith-driven community, political and global engagement, with people turning to movements, associations and organizations for the sort of Gospel-mandated social action which they find largely absent from their places of worship and the pastoral vision of their diocesan leadership. Here, again, the discussion at the Congress and the broader work of PACTPAN, which includes supporting and empowering young people as socially minded leaders, points many paths forward.  

Yet, while the church in Africa grapples with issues ranging from ecclesiology to economic sustainability, as well as social and environmental issues such as political corruption, human trafficking and ecological degradation, the global context presents its own impediments to African self-determination. Within the ecclesial reality, much of this tension stems from shifting understandings of mission and its entanglement with economics, as well as with colonial, racialized and antiquated understandings of the Church’s global center of gravity. Given the vibrancy of the African church, it in many ways makes sense that much of the emphasis of global mission in relation to the continent has focused on education and economic development. The conversation at the PACTPAN Congress should compel us to reexamine the assumptions and power imbalances within that dynamic. 

The issue of ministerial and financial autonomy was raised throughout the gathering, with delegates holding ideals such as sustainability and sovereignty in balance with notions of communion and universality. For Fr. Havigumana, when looking at the current climate of disengagement from international humanitarian efforts, the situation is clear: “Financial autonomy is no longer a choice to make, it is a must.” Fr. Peter Chikere, MSP, noted that “self-reliance shouldn’t mean isolation,” but rather “strategic alliance” to “leverage the giftedness of what the other has.”  

In terms of global progress in addressing climate change and tackling climate injustice, Sr. Dr. Kinikonda Okemasisi took a critical view: “When you look at COP25, COP27…it’s futile, it doesn’t address our values.” Meanwhile, she, along with other delegates such as Fr. Emmanuel Katongole, are working at the local level to care for the earth, which he describes as “an integral part of our dream of hope.” Others noted the urgency with which the church must treat the ecological crisis, with one delegate remarking that, “Our image of church needs to confront this pressing issue today.” 

All of this should challenge Catholics in wealthy and politically influential nations such as the United States to reexamine our understanding of solidarity and mission. As the largest contributor to human-caused climate change, for instance, we in the United States must consider issues such as overconsumption, our reliance on fossil fuels and environmental deregulation as foundational to our call to communion with the church in Africa and globally.  

This ethic of social analysis and engagement also relates directly to other issues affecting our fellow members of the human family across the continent. As Fr. Havugimana also pointed out, while Africa is rich in human and natural resources, this also makes the continent a “theater of conflict.” While Africans are working actively to address issues, such as corruption and poverty, which often drive and exacerbate these conflicts, we in the US and elsewhere must also examine the role of consumerism and colonial expansion efforts, past and present, which contribute to, exacerbate and even exploit inequity and suffering. 

A Church that Gives 

On a spiritual and pastoral level, the question of what it means to be a “mission field” requires much deeper scrutiny and, frankly, humility. In traditional terms, the continent of Africa sends forth far more missionaries than it receives, many of whom serve as pastors and pastoral workers here in the United States, which relies on them to help meet its own pastoral needs. As PACTPAN clearly demonstrates, within the African church there are deep wells of theological, ecclesial and practical wisdom which can help the US church grapple more seriously and productively with crises spurred on by materialism, economic stratification, racism, misinformation and political extremism, as well as to explore and cultivate the idealism, pluralism, and service-orientation which we count as cultural assets. And yet, it is often that very racism, bigotry and self-centeredness—as well as a lack of concerted effort at intercultural formation—which prevents US Catholics from recognizing the considerable gifts of African clergy and religious. 

“Our relationship with God is transformational,” remarked Fr. Alex Ojacor, discussing the topic of spiritual maturity. “It doesn’t leave us the same way…It has consequences.”  

It’s a truth which stands at the heart of faith, synodality and mission. The PACTPAN Congress serves as a sign of what the church in Africa, with its communal mindset, social and environmental concern, and theological depth can offer to the global Church. The experience, which nourished my own spirit and deepened my theological and ecclesial understanding, also sheds light on where the entire Church can collaborate more attentively with the Spirit towards a united, pastoral and authentically evangelizing People of God. 

As Fr. Stan Chu Ilo so aptly observed during the Congress, “Africa is a church that gives.” The only question is whether the rest of us are willing to receive. 

[For more, read the final statement issued at the conclusion of the Congress.]  

Kevin Foy is the executive director of the United States Catholic Mission Association. 

Other Encounter Updates from September 2025:

Letter from the Executive Director
Annual Members Meeting
National Pastoral on the Laity
Summit Synthesis Report
Evangelii Nuntiandi Series
World Mission News