Metropolitan Archbishop Andrew Nkea of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province has been elevated to Commander of the National Order of Valor.

President Paul Biya made the announcement via his Foreign Affairs Minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella in the presence of Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations who is presently on a five-day visit to Cameroon to mark the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Framework Agreement between the Holy See and the African country in 2014.

“I am humbled and honoured to receive this recognition from President Biya,” said Archbishop Andew Nkea,

“I will continue to pray and rely on the support of everyone in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province that I will be a worthy servant of the Prince of Peace in fulfilling my responsibilities as a Commander of the National Order of Valour and to continue in my role as shepherd of the faithful of the Archdiocese of Bamenda” said Archbishop Nkea to Cameroon Concord News

By Soter Agbaw-Ebai with files from Rita Akana

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, has begun a five-day visit to Cameroon to mark the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Framework Agreement between the Holy See and the African country in 2014.

According to the Secretariat of State’s Terza Loggia account on the social platform ‘X,’ Archbishop Gallagher is to take part in several meetings and events.

On Friday he met the Foreign Affairs Minister, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, and then paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute. He also met with a cream of Cameroonian bishops.

On Saturday, November 16, Archbishop Gallagher celebrated Mass at the Minor Basilica of Marie Reine des Apôtres de Mvolye, in the capital, Yaoundé.

On Monday, November 18, the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States will be received in audience by the President of the Republic, Mr. Paul Biya.

The final event will be a lecture at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, where Archbishop Gallagher will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate.

Reported by Vatican News with additional editing from Cameroon Concord News Group

Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala has urged Cameroon’s ageing rulers to resign and let a new generation emerge as leaders of the country.

Speaking with local news channel RTVC, the archbishop also spoke out against bad governance, electoral malpractices, corruption and the disconnect between Cameroon’s natural resources, and the crushing poverty under which Cameroonians now live.

“When we get to a certain age, we no longer have certain abilities, whether it is intellectual or physical,” he said.

That physical and intellectual frailty, according to Kleda, means “we are no longer able to get up in the morning or at night to work and to control what is done…we are no longer able to do the work we did when we were younger.”

Kleda didn’t call out any names, but there is no doubt that he was referring to the current leadership of Cameroon, beginning with President Paul Biya.

On November 6 this year, the Cameroonian leader clocks exactly 42 years in power, and he will be 92 on February 13 next year: The same year another presidential election will take place in Cameroon.

Supporters of the aging president have continued to call on him to run for re-election, but there are increasing concerns that he is already too advanced in years to be able to effectively govern.

During the 2019 Paris Peace Forum, Biya struggled to answer questions from Mo Ibrahim, which raised concerns about his cognitive abilities.

At one point, he appeared unable to identify his audience, further fueling speculation about his health, although no official reports about the president’s health situation have been published. In fact, journalists in Cameroon have been formally barred from reporting about Biya’s health, with the excuse it poses “significant security risks.”

The Douala archbishop offered his views on the situation in the country.

“When we reach this level, [of physical and mental decline] we have to simply purely withdraw. What is the point of saying ‘I must die in power?’ If we no longer have this [mental and physical] capacity in principle, we must leave room for others. Those who are in this situation must resign,” Kleda said.

The Catholic archbishop said the incapacity to effectively govern means that development has been stalled, and the dreams and aspirations of large swathes of the Cameroon youth cannot be met. He said the failure to provide the environment for young people to create jobs has triggered the exodus of the youths abroad – a reality that in future will further fragilize the country’s already ailing economic fabric.

“We lose young people, the active people who are capable of working for the transformation of our country,” the archbishop said.

“What do we lack in Cameroon?” Kleda asked.

“We have everything in Cameroon, we have fertile land, we have minerals, such as gold and diamond … we have everything,” he said and explained that the problem in Cameroon isn’t about poverty but about leadership.

“The problem is how to put in place policies to be able to transform our country-how to transform all these riches and put them at the service of all the populations,” he continued.

The archbishop said the absence of effective leadership has also led to a lack of investment in critical infrastructure such as roads.

“Today in Cameroon, if you want to move, you must first think carefully how you are going to move, what means you are going to take because all the roads in Cameroon today are in a bad state, very bad state and what we observe is that nothing is being done to build these roads,” Kleda said.

He said the roads have become so bad that one has to spend a whole day travelling from the town of Ngaoundere to Garoua-a distance of just 170 miles.

The archbishop said the bad roads affect nearly every other sector of the economy. Farmers, for instance, have to charge higher for farm products because they pay more to transport the produce to the market.

“It is extremely serious and our authorities, when they see all these, what are they thinking?” Kleda said.

He said the lack of development and the near absence of democratic governance have led to widening inequalities, where the rich continue to get richer while the poor get poorer.

The archbishop said it means “more people are living in misery.”

“It means the purchasing power has continued to decline, and yet, those who hold public office in the country live in opulence,” he said.

“They have everything, but the rest of the population does not. We have reached the level where the country has been divided into two classes: those who are rich and those who are poor. There are many people who have nothing to eat,” Kleda added.

Despite these challenges, Cameroonians are expected to go to the polls next year to elect a president, and Biya is still expected to stand.

Kleda has urged Cameroonians to register and vote, because each vote could just be the source change.

Source: Crux

On 14 – 18 November, Cameroonians will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the accord-cadre between the Republic of Cameroon and the Holy See. It is a framework agreement that was ratified on 2 July 2014. A series of activities will characterise this awaited event, in the presence of Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations.

An agenda rich in colour, sound and rhythm will mark the occasion: a Pontifical thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration at the Shrine Marie Reine des Apotres, Mvolye, Yaoundé. There will also be an Academic Lecture at the Université Catholique de l’Afrique Centrale and much more. 

How does the Catholic Church keep relationships with states in order to accomplish its mission? How does the Catholic Church “handle” its relationships with states to the extent that it is able to adapt to the legal systems of the countries where it is established?

The Holy See’s diplomatic efforts

One of the unique characteristics of the Catholic Church is the Holy See’s diplomatic efforts. This type of diplomacy is distinct in that, it is used by the Church, a religious organisation that analyses the issues of life in society to propose fundamental principles, to define judgement criteria and suggest concrete guidelines. Its main goals, which include respect for both individual and collective human rights, are consistent with the spiritual, moral, and humanitarian order. The right to religious liberty, for example, is one of these rights, and it applies to Catholics as well as to followers of all other religions.

Addressing the diplomatic Corps at the Vatican City in 2002, The Holy Father Saint John Paul II had considered this endeavour, a spiritual attitude of openness and readiness to welcome and give space to the material and spiritual needs of the peoples around us.

Archbishop José Avelino Bettencourt, Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon

The accord-cadre – framework agreement

The framework agreement that was signed in Cameroon on 13 July 2014 after a lengthy negotiation process is a legal formalisation of relations between the State of Cameroon and the Holy See, that strengthens and clarifies the legal status of the Catholic Church in Cameroon.

“As such, it is a solemn expression of religious freedom in this country,” said the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Guinea Equatorial, Archbishop Josè Avelino Bettencourt who has previously worked on various agreements with different African States.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon at the time, Archbishop Eliseo Antonio Arrioti (2003-2009), led the negotiations with the Cameroon government.

“The Holy See and the Church in Cameroon have benefited from the recognition of a legal legislative status with rights and duties” said Archbishop Bettencourt. “Church institutions are recognised in Cameroon as agents of public utility. Within the framework of the agreement and Cameroonian law, Cameroon has also benefited from the services provided by the Catholic Church to all strata of Cameroonian society, even in the most remote regions of its territory.” The fact that the Church in Cameroon has legal status puts it in a better position to cooperate with other international institutions to better serve Cameroonian society, the Nuncio explained.

Holy Mass on National Unity Day in Cameroon

A history of international agreements

There is a long history of international agreements with the Holy See and the Church. These agreements usually cover a number of areas of cooperation, including general pastoral care, healthcare, education, and cultural cooperation.

Africa has a long history of tight ties with the Holy See and numerous formal agreements have since been signed. These accords sought to grant the Church a legal standing that would enhance its ability to carry out its apostolic mission in the service of all people, irrespective of their religious or ethnic background.

In 1991, Gabon became the first nation in Africa to formally enter into an agreement. Many other nations, including Muslim countries such as, Chad and Morocco followed.

Cameoonian Bishops on ad limina visit to Pope Francis 15. 09. 2023

The Church in dialogue with the global community

Diplomacy is one method of bringing the Church’s official presence in the global community, essentially directed to dialogue, so as to bring to fruition the great hopes of humanity such as peace, international order and the progress of individual States.

In celebrating the ten-year milestone, in Cameroon, the occasion presents itself for a plan of action to guide the next decade and beyond. Happy Celebrations!

Source: Vatican News

The floods that have hit Cameroon in recent months have caused loss of life and enormous material damage. Those mostly affected by the deadly floods are in Mayo-Danay, a Far North Province of Cameroon. As Caritas Cameroon cannot respond to all requests for help, the Cameroon National Episcopal Conference has invited all parishes to organise a collection this Sunday, 6 October.

In a recent Statement, CENC president Archbishop Andrew Nkea recommended organising a special collection in all parishes of the country.

“We ask that a collection be organised on Sunday, 6 October, in all the parishes of our various dioceses,” he said.

Bishop Damase Zinga Atangana of Kribi Diocese and President of the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education urged Catholic schools to do the same during the first week of October.

Catholic Church’s long tradition of helping

Cameroon’s Catholic Bishops have thus invited all Catholics and people of goodwill to show generosity and charity towards the victims by making their contributions to the collection. Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala appealed for donations, reaffirming the Catholic Church’s long tradition of helping those in need. “These are Cameroonians who need serious help. It is Catholic tradition for the Church to contribute financially to help the poor and suffering,” said Archbishop Kleda.

Many homes and schools damaged

The current wave of floods in Cameroon follows heavy rains since July. The rains have left at least 20 people dead and more than 236,000 in the Far North of the country affected and in need of humanitarian assistance.

Many homes and schools in Mayo-Danay Province have been destroyed. Farmlands have also been washed away, setting up the region for acute food shortages.

Source: Vatican News

Cameroonians living abroad are fanning the flames of the separatist conflict in the English-speaking regions, according to Archbishop Avelino Bettencourt, the Vatican representative to the Central African country.

The separatist crisis in Cameroon began in 2016 when lawyers and teachers in the English-speaking regions protested against the marginalization by the predominantly French-speaking government. The situation escalated into a full-blown separatist conflict, with armed groups in the northwest and southwest regions seeking independence for a new state called Ambazonia. The conflict has led to the deaths of more than 6,000 people, the displacement of over a million, and the destruction of property.

In a wide-ranging interview published September 16 in local newspaper, Municipal Updates, the Papal Nuncio said violence of any kind cannot be justified, and noted that he has seen up and close the human suffering in Cameroon’s war-torn English speaking regions, the Northern regions afflicted by Boko Haram as well as the difficulties Central African refugees living in the east of the country are going through.

Narrowing down on the separatist war in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions, and the role of the diaspora in supporting the conflict, the pope’s representative challenged diaspora Cameroonians to be conveyors of love and hope, instead of being the tools for violence.

“I believe when you are out of your country, your nation is even dearer to you,” Bettencourt said.

“And that love, if it is love, can only be real if it is to promote peace in your homeland. I would encourage all the diaspora to love their homeland because it is beautiful and rich in traditions and it is worth giving one’s life for peace,” he explained.

In comments to Crux, Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of the Bamenda Archdiocese in the separatist stronghold of the North West Region of Cameroon echoed a similar feeling, blasting the diaspora for supporting and abetting a crisis without fully understanding the harm it’s causing the people.

“Our diaspora is so involved because they are not living in Cameroon. They lack adequate information and do not have firsthand experience of the crisis.” Nkea said.

“They see images on social media and hear about events that have occurred. When people are killed in Bamenda, I am the first to arrive at the scene. When houses are burned, I am the first to witness it. So, I speak from personal experience,” he added.

He emphasized the importance of firsthand experience in understanding the true impact of the crisis.

“Regardless of how connected these people are to social media, they lack firsthand experience, which is why they can make the statements they do,” he told Crux.

Nkea expressed a reluctance to engage in discussions about Anglophone problems with those who are not on the ground.

The archbishop’s argument, which he has made on several other occasions, highlights the growing divide between those experiencing the crisis firsthand and those observing from afar, raising questions about the role of the diaspora in addressing the issues facing the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

But that argument has typically not been taken well with the diaspora, who have accused the archbishop of dishonesty in his assessment of the role of the diaspora in the ongoing crisis.

Chris Annu – leader of one of the factions fighting to create the nation called Ambazonia – has in a YouTube declaration blasted the President of the Cameroonian Episcopal Conference for being “deeply dishonest” in his assessment of the role of the diaspora, and for striving to be “politically correct.”

“Diaspora members who have lost loved ones and property to both La Republique du Cameroun soldiers and rogue Ambazonian elements understand the devastation firsthand. Diaspora leaders he [the archbishop] disparages are deeply informed and genuinely care about the people,” he said.

The Apostolic Nuncio in his interview appealed for dialogue as the only viable way of getting out of the crisis.

“I think at the end of the day, we need to talk to each other with a certain amount of humility and a certain amount of desire to attain the better good of the population,” Bettencourt said.

“We have to work together. All the forces have to work together – be it the religious leaders from all denominations, all social institutions together with security and military and the government. We are people who believe in law and order, and anything less than law and order is chaos,” the Vatican representative said.

Nkea emphasized that meaningful dialogue can only occur if the appropriate atmosphere is established, which, in his view, requires the cessation of violence.

The archbishop also rejected the notion that peace can only be achieved through justice. Citing the example of America, which he described as one of the most unjust societies in the world, Nkea pointed out that this injustice has not led Americans to engage in widespread violence.

“We should have peace, and then we can fight for justice,” he told Crux.

Culled from Crux

Archbishop Andrew Nkea has strongly rejected the notion that opposition to the LGBT agenda is based simply on African cultural norms.

“Our stand had nothing to do with culture,” said Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda, Cameroon. “It was about fidelity to the truth; fidelity to what Christ taught. It was about fidelity to what the Apostles handed down to generations.”

Archbishop Nkea, who is president of the Cameroon bishops’ conference, said that African bishops spoke forcefully against blessings for same-sex marriage during the last session of the Synod of Bishops, and in response to the papal document Fiducia Supplicans. “We are going back to the second session with the same vehement rejection of that document,” he said.

Source: Catholic Culture