Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of Kinshasa (DR Congo), the president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and the sole African prelate on the Pope’s nine-member advisory Council of Cardinals, has written to the presidents of all of Africa’s episcopal conferences with the goal of developing a continent-wide response to the Vatican’s new document on blessings of same-sex couples and others in “irregular unions.”
“The nuanced nature of this declaration, open to various interpretations and potential manipulations, has led to considerable uncertainty among the faithful,” Cardinal Ambongo wrote in his letter. “As shepherds of the Church in Africa, it is incumbent upon us to provide unequivocal clarity on this matter, offering definitive guidance to our Christian community.”
“I am writing to you, dear Presidents, to ask for your opinion on the above-mentioned Declaration of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, so that we can draw up a single synodal pronouncement, valid for the whole Church in Africa,” he continued, as he asked for responses by mid-January.