From 11 to 16 December 2022, the Pan-African meeting of CHARIS took place at the Saint Francis House of the Mother of Divine Love Community in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, under the motto: “Together we pray and listen to the Lord”.
The meeting was devoted to the election of the Coordinator of the Continental Services of Communion, the representatives of the African continent in the International Service of Communion and the nomination of candidates for the election of the Moderator of CHARIS. Fifty-nine (59) people attended, comprising members of the Renewal prayer groups and new communities, as well as the national chaplains of the Renewal from twenty-six (26) countries: South Africa, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Malawi, Niger, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The work began with a Mass on the morning of 12 December, presided over by His Excellency Mgr Jean Salomon LEZOUTIE, bishop of the diocese of Yopougon, representing His Excellency Mgr Boniface ZIRI.
Then, Jean-Christophe SAKITI, coordinator of the Continental Services of Communion, gave a concise presentation of the missions and objectives of CHARIS: the new organism that coordinates the life of all the realities born from the current of grace that is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
After the opening Mass of the meeting, Fred MAWANDA, from the Continental Services of Communion, gave a presentation of CHARIS. From which it emerged that CHARIS, born of the will of Pope Francis, is at the service of all expressions of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, such as prayer groups, new communities, ministries, schools of evangelisation, etc.
The activities of the meeting were structured around four (4) sessions, namely: teachings, exchanges on the life of the Charismatic Renewal in different countries, presentation of the moral report of the Continental Communion Service and elections.
Four types of elections were held during the meeting, in accordance with CHARIS statutory provisions.
The elections were:
- of the members of the Continental Services of Communion,
- of the Coordinator of the Continental Services of Communion,
- of the representatives of the International Service of Communion, and
- of the candidates for the election of the CHARIS Moderator.
At the end of the various processes, they were elected for a term of three (3) years:
A. Members of the Continental Services of Communion
1. Francophone Africa
- West Africa : Séraphin N’DATTIEN (Ivory Coast)
- Central Africa : Alphonse Bertin FANKEP (Cameroon)
- Great Lakes Africa: Frédérique KABWA (Burundi)
2. Anglophone Africa
- West Africa: Manu UCHE (Nigeria)
- East Africa: Robert TUMUHIMBISE (Uganda)
- South Africa: Alice Bini MODISENYANE (Botswana)
3. Lusophone Africa
- Silva Isabel Augusto De B Ganga DA (Angola)
B. Continental Services of Communion Coordinator
- Alphonse Bertin FANKEP (Cameroon)
C. Continental Representatives in the International Service of Communion
- Jean-Christophe SAKITI (Togo)
- Fred Adrian MAWANDA (Uganda)
In addition, two young people have been proposed to join the Continental Services of Communion. They are
- Emile KABORE (Burkina Faso)
- Peggy DYFEKO (Botswana)
In addition to the above-mentioned topics, the participants in the Pan-African meeting enjoyed a lagoon walk and a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro. At the end of the meeting, a thanksgiving and closing mass was held, in the cathedral of Saint Paul du Plateau in Abidjan, presided over by His Excellency Mgr Boniface ZIRI.
The work took place in a fraternal and spiritually-fervent atmosphere, characterised by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, prayer assemblies and Eucharistic celebrations.
SCC Secretariat of CHARIS Africa
Abidjan – Ivory Coast
