Cameroonian delegation joins regional and Vatican leaders as ACERAC opens discussions on faith, society and mission
Cameroon is playing a central role in the preparations for the Plenary Assembly of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of the Central African Region (ACERAC), as senior Church leaders arrive in N’Djamena, Chad, ahead of the official opening of the meeting.
Arrivals continued on Saturday in the Chadian capital, with delegations from the Episcopal Conferences of Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville and Equatorial Guinea already on the ground. The growing presence of presidents of Episcopal Conferences underlines the importance of the gathering for the Catholic Church in Central Africa.
The Cameroonian delegation is led by His Excellency Mgr Andrew Nkea Fuanya, Archbishop of Bamenda and President of the Cameroon Episcopal Conference (CENC). He is accompanied by His Excellency Mgr Philippe Alain Mbarga, Bishop of Ebolowa and Vice President of the CENC. Their participation places Cameroon at the heart of deliberations shaping the Church’s direction in the sub-region.
Other early arrivals include representatives of the Holy See, the Central African Republic, Gabon and the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), reflecting the wide ecclesial reach of the assembly.
The ACERAC Plenary Assembly runs from Sunday January 25 to February 1, 2026, and brings together bishops and Church representatives to reflect on shared pastoral, social and missionary challenges. Discussions are expected to focus on the Church’s response to social change, conflict, evangelisation and cooperation, guided by the principles of communion and synodality.
The official opening of the works is scheduled for Sunday, January 25, with Mass to be celebrated across all parishes of the Archdiocese of N’Djamena. This morning, a solemn opening Mass at the Cathedral of Notre Dame de la Paix in N’Djamena will formally mark the start of the assembly.
For Cameroon, the presence of its senior Church leadership signals both responsibility and influence within Central Africa’s Catholic community, as the region’s bishops seek common ground on issues affecting millions of faithful across national borders.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Online with reports and photographs by Rev. Fr Dufe Joseph Ndzelen
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