African Catholic Bishops promote Synodal Church through Digital Communication
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Pan African Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS), Catholic Bishops from across Africa are set to gather together to advance the synodal Church in Africa through digital communications.
During a recent press conference held in Lagos, Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, President of CEPACS and Bishop of Oyo Diocese, highlighted that this milestone event will serve as a platform to promote the synodal Church in Africa through social communications.
Bishop Badejo emphasized that the CEPACS assembly signifies an opportunity for reflection and assessment of the organization’s work over the past 50 years. He expressed hope that the event would reinvigorate CEPACS, propose fresh evangelization strategies, and update Church structures and policies for future endeavors.
The Bishop further explained that this gathering seeks to align the work of CEPACS with the contemporary synodal process, which aims to foster a Church that listens to all its members and encourages active participation, particularly from those on the margins.
He stated that, “In Synodality, everybody is carried along, and no one is deliberately left behind in the scheme of things. Such a noble vision obviously has a lot to offer modern society as well. Communication is an indispensable part of synodality, and so, the vision for founding CEPACS needs to be optimized and brought into the present and future digital age.”
Founded in 1973 by the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) in Ibadan, CEPACS is committed to managing and overseeing the communications apostolate within Africa.
The 50th anniversary event, scheduled to take place in Lagos from November 18 to 21, 2023, carries the theme, ‘CEPACS at 50: Towards promoting a Synodal Church in Africa through Social Communications.’
CEPACS serves as the African region’s division of the Catholic Church, which focuses on matters pertaining to media activities in Africa and Madagascar, including press, radio, television, video, traditional and social media, as well as other emerging forms of communication.
The assembly, bringing together communication experts and Catholic Bishops from across Africa, will feature Dr. Paolo Ruffini, the Prefect for the Dicastery for Communications at the Vatican, as the keynote speaker in Lagos, Nigeria.
Fr. Andrew Kaufa, Communication Coordinator for the Association of Member Episcopal Conference of Eastern Africa (AMECEA), emphasized the significance of the conference theme in Africa. He highlighted the evolving role of communication in Africa and the world, stressing the urgent need for the Church to respond to the digital migration and advancements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) while building solidarity in Africa.
With communication at the forefront of societal transformation, this momentous event promises to drive further growth and progress within the Catholic Church in Africa and beyond.
