To His Excellency
Msgr. Martin Waïngue Bani
President of ACERAC
N’Djaména

On the occasion of the thirteenth General Assembly of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of the Central Africa Region, I have the pleasure of conveying the greetings of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to all the pastors gathered in N’Djaména. The Holy Father assures you of his deep sympathy, aware of the zeal with which, dear brothers, you work daily in the service of the communities entrusted to your pastoral care.

For this reason, he never ceases to give thanks when he remembers you in his prayers (cf. Eph 1:16). He does likewise for the priests, your closest collaborations in your apostolic ministry, and for the deacons, men and women religious, and lay faithful who share your joy and responsibility as witnesses of Christ in all areas of ecclesial life. I am sure that your regular meetings will nurture your mutual cooperation, which is indispensable to the fulfilment of the mission: to increase faith, hope and charity in the hearts of Christians, to develop relationships with other religious communities and the civil authorities, to make the Gospel present in the culture and social fabric, for the protection of human life, the promotion of peace and justice, the care of vulnerable people who are victims of conflict, and the defence of creation. The exchange and fraternity which characterize your assemblies give strength and vitality to the common commitment to the one Church of Christ.

This year, the Church commemorates the 31^st anniversary of the post-Synodal Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa, which affirms that “the Lord visited his people in Africa. Indeed, this Continent is today experiencing what we can call a sign of the times, an acceptable time, a day of salvation” (no. 6). The Church in Africa is indeed a living, strong and dynamic reality. Thirty-one years later, this message remains relevant in the face of numerous challenges. The theme chosen for your work confirms this: “The challenges of the Church, the family of God in Central Africa: 31 years after the publication of the Post-Synodal Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa”. As pastors, as the family of God, you are facing urgent issues arising in your pastoral work.

An important question is the inculturation of faith. It is not a question of adapting the Gospel to the world, but of finding in each culture the appropriate ways to proclaim the Word that does not fade away, enriching and serving human existence. Faced with the evils that undermine society, such as tribalism, interethnic conflicts, wars, family divisions and so on, the Gospel calls for reconciliation and the pacification of hearts. As Saint Pope John Paul II emphasized, “The new evangelization will thus aim at building up the Church as family, avoiding all ethnocentrism and excessive particularism, trying instead to encourage reconciliation and true communion between different ethnic groups, favouring solidarity and the sharing of personnel and resources among the particular Churches, without undue ethnic considerations” (ibid., no. 63).

The synodal path of the Church, the family of God, requires pastors to be close to the people entrusted to them in a spirit of listening, compassion and benevolence.

May you hear the voices of the many young people who risk their lives for better living conditions, so that they may take an active part in the life of their nation and the Church. Your communities are also shaken by the crisis of refugees and displaced persons. Be for them the Christ who bows down to their painful situations in order to heal them and give them the bread of consolation.

Entrusting your work to the maternal care of the Virgin Mary, Star of Evangelization, Pope Leo XIV imparts the Apostolic Blessing to you, as well as your collaborators, priests, men and women religious, all other pastoral workers, the family of God in the Central African Region, and your nations.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State of His Holiness

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Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 29 January 2026