CAR’s Catholic Archdiocese of Bangui Opens Pastoral Year With Call for Communion and Collaboration

Archbishop Joseph Samedi, Coadjutor Archbishop of Bangui, opened the 2026–2027 pastoral year with a diocesan session at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in the Central African Republic. The gathering, which runs from September 22 to 27, brings together priests, religious men and women, and lay faithful to strengthen collaboration within the Archdiocese of Bangui.

Archbishop Samedi, a member of the Society of Jesus, stated that the assembly is intended for prayer, listening, dialogue, and discernment rather than acting as a parliament or management committee. He said communion is central to the identity of the Church and that the mission cannot succeed through division or isolation. The Archbishop called for new structures and attitudes that allow every baptized person to take responsibility for the life of the Church.

The session includes a reflection on the book Power, Faith and Rivalries to examine how to prevent and resolve conflicts. Archbishop Samedi also noted that ecclesial decision-making should rely on collective discernment through silence and prayer to understand the will of the Holy Spirit rather than relying on majority voting.