Ivory Coast Catholics on the right track, says the Bishops

 

From the Net

Despite the football festive mood in Ivory Coast, the Archbishops and Bishops of Ivory Coast respected their traditional plenary Assembly every January.

It was the 124th Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Ivory Coast known as “Conférence des Évêques Catholiques de Cote d’Ivoire”, CECC.

The plenary assembly of the Ivorian prelates, representing 4 Archdioceses and 11 Dioceses, took place from 22nd January to 28th January 2024. It was held in Katiola Diocese.

This was the first plenary meeting attended by the new Apostolic Nuncio Mgr. Mauricio Rueda Beltz since his nomination by Pope Francis on 16th June 2023.

The CECC made clear a call to civil responsibility and ethical leadership in the church as well as in the political realm. The bishops underlined the fact that there exist leaders who foster personal interests and not a common good. They requested all leaders to work towards the interests of the people they serve to ensure a harmonious development.

They were satisfied to note the impact of the church in the Ivorian society. There is a gradual growth from the dependant-church towards a self sustaining church. “The Church’s contribution in the construction and development of this country needs not to be illustrated. The church has played and continues to play a very important role in the promotion of human dignity and a constant call for the transformation of the Ivorian society”, reiterated Bishop Marcellin Yao Kouadio, the CECC Chairman and Bishop of Daloa Diocese.

The prelates informed the clergy, the faithful and the entire Ivorian nation of the two important events to be celebrated in this year.

First is the 90th Anniversary of Ordination of the Late Mgr. René Kouassi, the first Ivorian priest. He was ordained on 1st may 1934 in the Immaculate Conception, Dabou parish. With this regard, the Bishops call for a national pilgrimage of all Ivorian priests to Ably (Yamoussoukro Diocese) the native village of the Late Mgr René. This spiritual exercise is to be held in the fifth month of this year. Equally, a Spiritual and Sabbatical center will be constructed in his honor. Second is the 50th Anniversary of the creation of the Ivorian Episcopal Conference, the CECC.

They gave their experience of the Visit Ad Limina Apostolorum, which took place in the month of September 2023. This pilgrimage to the Holy See, Rome where lies the tombs of St Peter and St Paul is equally a sign of communion and commitment with the Pope. It takes place every five years.

In matters Synode and Synodality, keeping in mind that the Church is neither a political nor a Non-Governmental Organization, the CECC affirmed that the faithful, inspired by the Word of God and the Church’s Tradition, should assume their prophetic mission by virtue of their baptism and help the clergy in all aspects of human development.  


This article was published online by CISA:

https://cisanewsafrica.com/ivory-coast-bishops-call-for-ethical-leadership-detail-golden-jubilee-celebrations-of-cecc-in-first-plenary/