The Most Rev. Julien Kaboré, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, has called on the Catholic Church in Ghana to deepen her commitment to synodality, a journey of listening, participation, and shared mission as the Church continues to serve as a beacon of justice and peace in society.
Addressing the opening of the 2025 Annual Plenary Assembly of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) in Damongo, His Excellency Kaboré said synodality is not just a passing initiative but a “way of being Church” that calls every baptized person to walk together in faith and service.
“A synodal Church is not a bureaucratic structure or a technical consultation,” he said. “It is a way of being rooted in listening, discernment, and the active participation of all the People of God.”
He explained that the theme for this year’s assembly, “A Synodal Church at the Service of Justice and Peace in Ghana”, challenges the Church to move beyond isolation and hierarchy, and to embrace collaboration, humility, and co-responsibility in mission.
Citing the 2009 Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, which reflected on “The Church in Africa in Service of Reconciliation, Justice, and Peace,” the Nuncio noted that the call to journey together remains as urgent as ever.
“We need only look around us to know that peace is never assured once and for all,” he cautioned.
“It demands vigilance, dialogue, and conversion of heart. Only Christians deeply rooted in Christ can become artisans of reconciliation and builders of justice and peace.”
He added that synodality is a sign of hope in a fragmented world, one that teaches mutual listening, shared responsibility, and the courage to walk together despite differences.
“In a world where isolation, corruption, and individualism erode the bonds of community, synodality becomes a sign that another way of living is possible,” he said.
“It reminds us to value every voice, especially that of the poor and excluded, and to nurture the unity that comes from the Holy Spirit.”
The Apostolic Nuncio encouraged the bishops to allow the Holy Spirit to guide their deliberations during the week-long plenary, and to make their decisions rooted in the Gospel, humility, and genuine communion.
He also congratulated the Diocese of Damongo, which celebrates the jubilee of its erection this year, describing it as “a moment of grace to remember with gratitude and to look forward with renewed hope.”
The Nuncio concluded his address by entrusting the Assembly’s work to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Peace, and Saint Anne, patroness of the Damongo Cathedral, praying that they obtain for the bishops “a faith that is patient, a hope that perseveres, and a charity that never tires of doing good.”
The 2025 GCBC Plenary Assembly, attended by bishops, priests, religious, and lay leaders from across Ghana, continues at the Unity Centre, Damongo, with deliberations focused on the Church’s prophetic role in promoting justice, peace, and national cohesion.
By Celestine Edem Gbologah//Newswatchgh.com
