ACCRA, Ghana, July 23, 2026/APO Group/ —
Ahead of the Ecclesial Assembly of the Church in 2028, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) (www.SECAM.org) is organising from 3th to 5th August 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the First Preparatory Seminar on the theme “The Synodal Church in Africa: Journeying Towards the 2028 Ecclesial Assembly.”
Bringing together Catholic Church leaders, theologians, pastoral agents and representatives of Episcopal conferences and ecclesial institutions from across Africa and its Islands, this two-day seminar marks the beginning of the Church in Africa’s continental preparation for the Ecclesial Assembly of the Church in 2028. Building on the global Synodal Process (2021-2024), the gathering will provide an opportunity to review the synodal experience across the continent, discern future priorities, and strengthen Africa’s contribution to the universal Church’s journey towards a more fully synodal and missionary way of being Church.
This seminar is an opportunity to listen deeply to one another, recognize the fruits already emerging and discern together how God is calling the Church in Africa to serve both the continent and the universal Church.
The gathering will focus on five key objectives: evaluating the Synodal Process across Africa; reflecting on the gifts the Church in Africa offers to the universal Church; identifying emerging expressions of missionary synodality; sharing regional experiences and best practices; and contributing to a continental working document that will guide Africa’s journey towards the 2028 Ecclesial Assembly.
Participants will engage in prayer, Conversation in the Spirit, plenary discussions and working groups that foster communal discernment and consensus building. The programme will include presentations on the global and continental roadmap to the Ecclesial Assemblies of 2027-2028, testimonies from regional episcopal conferences and ecclesial initiatives and collaborative sessions to identify concrete priorities for the Church in Africa.
The gathering is expected to produce key recommendations and a draft continental document that will guide the next stages of the African synodal journey and contribute to the preparation of the Ecclesial Assembly in 2028.
Rev. Fr. Rafael Simbine Junior
Secretary General of SECAM
Accra, Ghana
