Africa

The Latest

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar.

Cardinal Ambongo: Opposition to same-sex blessings not an ‘African exception’

“The position taken by Africa was also the position of so many bishops here in Europe. It’s not just an... Read more

Aid to the Church in Need released its 2024 report detailing how it spent $150 million in donations on June 18, 2025.

Report: Aid to the Church in Need spent $150 million helping Christians globally in 2024

Jun 18, 2025

By Tyler Arnold

The international Catholic nonprofit Aid to the Church in Need spent more than $150 million on projects supporting Christians in... Read more

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo,  the archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, asked President Donald Trump for aid to Africa an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, June 8, 2025.

Cardinal Ambongo appeals to Trump: ‘Africa is important to the U.S.’

Jun 10, 2025

By Madalaine Elhabbal

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, the archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, asked President Donald Trump this weekend to... Read more

A shanty town in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in November 2013.

Sierra Leone limits physical contact at Mass amid mpox outbreak

May 31, 2025

By Madalaine Elhabbal

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week. Read more

Pope Leo XIV speaks to cardinals in Rome on May 10, 2025.

An Augustinian pope: Upholding Africa’s legacy and embracing Eastern Christianity

May 17, 2025

By Souhail Lawand

Eastern Christian communities erupted in celebration at the election of the new pontiff on May 8, but many wondered about... Read more

Bishop Maurício Agostinho Camuto of the Diocese of Caxito in Angola greets children at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish of his Episcopal See.

Prioritize children’s schooling over gold mining, Angolan bishop says

May 8, 2025

By João Vissesse

Bishop Maurício Agostinho Camuto warned that prioritizing gold mining over “children’s schooling” has far-reaching consequences for his country’s future. Read more

The coordinator of the Commission for Justice and Peace in Cameroon’s Diocese of Kumbo said that traffickers, who are now capitalizing on the region’s crises, “keep changing their strategies.”

Cameroon diocese issues ‘urgent alert’ on human trafficking surge amid regional violence

Apr 15, 2025

By Silas Isenjia

The Justice and Peace Commission of Kumbo Diocese in Cameroon has issued an “urgent alert” on a surge of human... Read more

Participants in the three-day planned peaceful protests in Nigeria’s Diocese of Auchi from March 25–27, 2025, emphasized the need for improved security and called for an end to abductions targeting the clergy that have resulted in deaths of some of the abductees.

3-day peaceful protests in Nigerian diocese call for end to abductions, killings

Apr 3, 2025

By Abah Anthony John

A group of protesters in Nigeria called for the enforcement of an anti-grazing law to curb the activities of armed... Read more

Grace Center in northern Ethiopia provides extensive care and support to over 50,000 individuals yearly of all ages and abilities.

How one woman’s ‘vision from God’ led to helping thousands of lives in Ethiopia

Mar 23, 2025

By Tessa Gervasini

“At Grace Center we ask: What would Jesus do for this person? Then we do the same,” founder and executive... Read more

Democratic Republic of Congo Republican Guard soldiers walk in the streets of Kinshasa on March 1, 2025. As the M23 fighters continue their offensive in eastern DR Congo, hundreds of soldiers from the Republican Guard walk the streets of Kinshasa in a show of force.

Caritas Internationalis warns violence in Democratic Republic of Congo may become regional

Mar 8, 2025

By Silas Isenjia

At the 58th regular session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, Caritas Internationalis highlighted the widespread effects of the conflict... Read more

Members of the Episcopal Conference of Benin.

Catholic bishops appeal for calm ahead of Benin’s 2026 elections

Jan 18, 2025

By Sabrine Amboka

In a statement issued Jan. 10, Benin’s Catholic bishops said that diversity in opinions should be a “source of strength”... Read more

Burkinabé soldiers patrol in Ouagadougou after the January 2022 coup.

Persecution of Christians worldwide has gotten worse, papal charity report says

Oct 22, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

The Aid to the Church in Need report, which covers August 2022 to June 2024, states that human rights violations... Read more

Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Cameroon, and Bishop Edouard Sinayobye of Rwanda talk with journalists at Synod on Synodality press briefings in October 2024.

African bishops speak: How has the Synod on Synodality impacted the Church in Africa?

Oct 22, 2024

By Kristina Millare

How has the Synod on Synodality impacted the Catholic Church in Africa? And, in turn, how has the Church in... Read more

Cardinals-elect Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, SVD; Archbishop Jaime Spengler, OFM; and Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbohe discuss the contributions of the Church outside Europe during a Synod on Synodality press briefing on Oct. 8, 2024.

New cardinals say Europe is becoming the Catholic Church’s new ‘peripheries’

Oct 8, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

“When the Holy Father is talking about peripheries, I think the peripheries are moving. ... Maybe the peripheries are moving... Read more

null

Bishops tell young African digital influencers: ‘Brace for the challenges ahead’

Sep 22, 2024

By Agnes Aineah

Bishop Godfrey Onah reminded graduates of a digital media formation program that the digital world is still at the periphery... Read more

Worshippers attend a mass at Ouagadougou's Catholic cathedral on June 12, 2022, in Burkina Faso. The country has been grappling with Islamist terrorism since 2015 and Christian communities live in fear of furhter attacks.

Catholic communities in Burkina Faso ‘constantly living in fear’ 

Sep 5, 2024

By Jude Atemanke

Two Catholic priests serving in Burkina Faso have spoken about the threats that terrorist groups pose to Christians in the... Read more

null

After 1,700 years, an ancient tree marks the vanished hometown of St. Augustine

Aug 28, 2024

By Daniel Payne

The famous saint is associated with the ancient city of Hippo, but before that, he lived in a now-vanished town... Read more

Cardinal Peter Turkson delivers the inaugural lecture at the opening of the 2024/2025 academic year of the Nairobi-based Hekima University College (HUC) on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024.

Cardinal Turkson explores evolution of power in Church, society in Kenya college lecture

Aug 23, 2024

By Jude Atemanke, João Vissesse

Ghanaian-born Cardinal Peter Turkson gave a lecture to open the new school year at the Nairobi, Kenya-based Hekima University College. Read more

Bishop Mark Maigida Nzukwein of Nigeria's Wukari Diocese and one of the church stewards who lost an eye.

Catholic diocese in Nigeria condemns brutal assault on priest by military

Aug 14, 2024

By Silas Isenjia

The Diocese of Wukari in Nigeria has condemned an attack on All Saints Catholic Church Ikyaior by the Nigerian military... Read more

In his remarks at the ordination of 23 new priests, Bishop Godfrey Igwebuike Onah expressed gratitude and joy for the growing number of priests serving in his Episcopal See in Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Nsukka on Aug. 10, 2024.

Number of Catholic priests for Nigerian diocese surpasses 400 with 23 new ordinations

Aug 13, 2024

By Jude Atemanke

The number of Catholic priests serving Nigeria’s Diocese of Nsukka has surpassed 400 following the ordination of 23 new priests... Read more