The Archbishop of Lubango in Angola and President of SECAM, His Grace Gabriel Mbilingi, says that the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) is an essential vehicle for African Bishops in fostering collaboration, solidarity and fraternity among themselves but also with other Bishops of the universal Church. His Excellency Archbishop described the encounter in Antananarivo as fruitful and one that served to reinforce the Church’s common mission in the service of integral human development.
As reported by Vatican news, His Excellency Gabriel Mbilingi remarked that “SECAM’s vision of the Church in Africa is that of a ‘Family of God’. During the Second Synod for Africa, in 2009, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wanted this identity of the African Church, as a family of God, to have a mission: To be a Church at the service of reconciliation, justice and peace.”
His Grace Archbishop Mbilingi explained that SECAM as a Church organization brings together Africa’s Bishops in the 37 Episcopal Conferences of the continent. SECAM was born out of the will of young African Bishops during the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965. African Bishops wanted to speak with one voice. The establishment of SECAM was, therefore, a desire by the Bishops to build a continental structure that would put forward an African way of being Church within the context of the universal Church.
