Usually in events of this magnitude, most people’s judgment is based on the finished work without necessarily appreciating the preparatory work that went into it.
Today, we wish to draw attention to a silent but very hardworking team in SECAM; members of the Theological Committee (COMITHEOL).
The Theological Committee was established by a SECAM Plenary, under the responsibility of the Standing Committee with the mission to study, following the methods of theology, all current religious and socio-political issues in Africa, Madagascar and the Islands.
COMITHEOL has thus been responsible for undertaking theological research or studies that meet the pastoral needs of the Church in Africa and Madagascar.
The Committee also considers the documents of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Magisterium as well as theological publications appearing in Africa and Madagascar, and highlights the relevance of such docuemnts to the African Chruch and society.
It further contributes to the drafting of SECAM official documents that fall within their expertise.
Moreover, for the accomplishment of its mission, COMITHEOL works in close collaboration with the Faculties and Specialized Institutes of Theology, the African and Malagasy Associations of theologians, and the Doctrinal Commissions established within the various Episcopal Conferences of SECAM.
COMITHEOL is composed of Persons holding at least a Doctorate Degree in Theology, with competence in the field and upholding a doctrine that is sound and in accordance with Catholic tradition. The current members worked on the SECAM Jubilee Theme, Jubilee Prayer, the Instrumentum Laboris and are currently working on the draft Kampala Pastoral Document.
They are…
Rt. Rev. Mathieu Madega, Bishop of Mouila, Gabon
Rev. Sr. Teresa Okure, SHCJ– Nigeria
Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Soede – Benin
Rev. Fr. Leonard Santedi – Dem. Rep. Congo
Rev. Fr. José Luemba – Angola
Rev. Fr. Francis Appiah Kubi – Ghana
Rev. Fr. Melchior-Edouard Mombili – Dem. Rep. Congo
Rev. Fr. Paulin Poucouta – Congo
Rev. Fr. Edouard Ade – Benin
