The way forward for the region’s migratory huddles proposed in a pastoral guide, fruit of the symposium in Douala – Cameroon earlier June 2023 implicated especially opinion leaders and decision makers like NGOs, civil society, and governments in Africa in general, and the central African sub-region in particular. Sitting for their first time, the Commission for Pastoral care of Migrants and Refugees of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACERAC) in their final communiqué observed that, “…poverty, the search for a decent life, development disparities, conflicts, labor needs, environmental factors, the abusive exploitation of our natural resources by the countries of the North, the economic crisis, physical and mental poverty, push African populations to take the risks of migration to developed countries”. In this way, the four day (12 – 17 June, 2023) symposium that took place under the theme: “challenges and prospects for migration with a human face”, aimed at calving out a pastoral plan to that effect. To arrive at the Pastoral Plan for Refugees and Migrants (PPRM), a synodal approach led by Bishop Samuel KLEDA, Head of the Commission for the pastoral care of migrants and refugees in the sub-region, and member of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. In this way, in prelude to the Douala conference, a questionnaire concerning migratory issues was addressed to each Episcopal conference member of
ACERAC, from which answers collected and synthesized formed the program of the June
meeting discussions. Apart from the bishops present in the occasion who chaired discussions in the various workshops, experts from the Catholic University of
Central Africa (UCAC), the Saint Jerome Catholic University Institute of Douala, State Universities, International Institutions and people of various backgrounds, enriched the various panels that deployed an interdisciplinary approach.
ACERAC discusses ways to curb migrant and refugee crisis in the
Center African Sub-region in Douala 2023.
Migratory problems can become a thing of the pastAway from making available a pastoral care of migrants and refugees to apostolic workers in the Central African sub-region at the end of the day, the commission believed to have in the Douala sitting, steered up increased interest in participants to continue permanent daily awareness on the challenges and prospects for migration with a human face; sensitized participants to continue the reflection-action aimed at mobilizing the youth on the consequences of thoughtless immigration; and, created a greater awareness of the Church to work with all the living forces available for the human improvement of migrants and refugees. In the pastoral guide, it was envisaged among others, to start-up diploma courses on the theme of “migration and development “in Catholic schools and university institutes in the sub-region, establish a Catholic Observatory for migrants and refugees in the sub region
(OCMAC); equip chaplaincies, parishes, high schools and private colleges with tools for the spiritual accompaniment of young people in order to present Christ as a true project of life; combining the efforts of civil society and States to facilitate young people’s access to jobs; and a general reception of migrants as recommended by our Lord Jesus Christ, because to welcome a migrant is to welcome Christ. Photo: ACERAC discusses
ways to curb migrant and refugee crisis in the Center African Subregion
in Douala 2023. Yaoundé.
Ce sujet a été débattu à la CENC lors du dernier congrès qui s’est tenu il y a quelques semaines. La vocation du Frère chez les Salasiens de Don Bosco en débatPar
Sr Marcelline MANGA Considéré comme un service de second rang, la vocation du religieux Frère n’est pas vraiment comprise dans le contexte Camerounais; la problématique a récemment été débattue au IIe Congrès des Salésiens Coadjuteurs
de la Région Afrique-Madagascar, qui s’est tenu en mai 2023 à Yaoundé. Les assises déroulées au Siège de la Conférence épiscopale nationale du Cameroun à Mvolyé visaient le renforcement de la complémentarité entre les différentes figures de la
vocation salésienne. Le Frère est un jeune homme, laïc qui, sentant l’appel de Dieu au plus profond de lui-même, répond avec amour et générosité en se consacrant publiquement à Dieu dans l’Eglise par les voeux de chasteté, pauvreté et obéissance vécus dans une famille religieuse bien précise. Bien cette définition ne suffise toujours pas à éclairer l’opinion sur l’identité et la mission du religieux frère au sein de l’Eglise, un flash-back dans l’histoire révèle que tout le mobilier qui jadis constituait la « Mission…
