SYMPOSIUM OF EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES OF AFRICA AND MADAGASCAR (SECAM)
History
The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) was born out of the will of young African Bishops during the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). The establishment of SECAM is the result of the bishops resolution to build a continental structure in order to bring forth the African vision to the whole Church. Seeing the importance of such an Association for Africa, the Congregation for the Evangelisation of the Peoples invited the Presidents of the Regional Episcopal Conferences for consultation in 1968. A year later, the rst-ever visit of a Pope to Africa was seen as very opportune to launch the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar As a matter of fact, His Holiness Pope Paul VI was welcomed to Kampala (Uganda in July 1969) for the o cial launching of SECAM.
SECAM
ACEAC – ASSOCIATION OF CONFERENCE THE AFRICA CENTRAL – (Burundi, Republic, Democratic of Congo, Rwanda)
ACERAC – ASSOCIATION DES CONFERENCES EPISCOPALES DES LA REGIONAL DE L’A.AFRIQUE CENTRALE – (Cameroun, Congo Brazaville, Gabon, Guinne Equatoriale, Republic Centrafricaine and Tchad)
AHCE – ASSEMBLY OF HIERARCHY CATHOLIC OF EGYPT – (Egypt)
AMECEA – ASSOCIATION OF MEMBER EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES IN EASTERN AFRICA – (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia)
CEDOI- MADAGASCAR – CONFERENCE EPISCOPALE DE MADAGASCAR ET DEL` OCEAN INDIEN – (Comores, Mourice, Réunion, Seychelles, Madagascar)
CERNA – CONFERENCE EPISCOPALE REGIONALE DU NORD DE L’A AFRICA – (Algeria, Libya, Maroc, Tunisia)
IMBISA – INTER-REGIONAL MEETING OF BISHOPS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA– (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe (English Speaking); Angola, Sao Tomé, Mozambique (Portuguese- Speaking)
RECOWA / CERAO – REGIONAL EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES OF WEST AFRICA– (Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Lione, English Speaking, Bénin, Burkina Faso, Cap Vert, C te d` lvoire, Guinée Bissau, Guinée Conakry, Mail, Mauritanie, Niger, Sénégal, Togo (French Speaking))
PACE – PAN AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC EXEGETES
DEPARTMENTS
JUSTICE, PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
a) Justice Peace and Development
b) Good Governance- it studies and appraises the African political, diplomatic and social situations so as to enable SECAM take relevant positions.
c) HIV/AIDS
d) African Union; Africa Parliament A airs; Caritas; Migrants and Tourism
EVANGELIZATION
The following o ces fall under the Commission of Evangelisation:
a) Theological Committee (COMITHEOL): encourages and co-ordinates theological activity.
b) The Catholic Biblical Centre for Africa and Madagascar (BICAM) which encourages and co-ordinates Biblical Apostolate on the continent since 1981
c) Pan-African Laity Co-ordination Board: organ of liaison, co-operation and joint action for the training and formation of the Laity.
d) Association of Catholic Education for Africa and Madagascar (ASSECAM,)
e) Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (COMSAM); Association of African Theologians (ATA); Africa Family Life Federation(AFLE); Association of Catholic Education for Africa and Madagascar ( ASSECAM); Association of Catholic Universities and High Institutions of Africa and Madagascar ( ACUHIAM)
COMMUNICATION