BINGERVILLE, OCTOBER 23, 2018 (CISA)– Catholic professionals, under International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs (ICMICA) African region, held a conference to examine their role in developing practical strategies to confront the socioeconomic and political challenges that are pulling back the African continent.
The conference took place October 15-18 in Bingerville Ivory Coast, and brought together Catholic Professionals from 17 African countries to reflect on the theme, “Catholic Professionals and the Call to Good Citizenship in Africa Today.”
“We recognize that the African continent has made great socio-economic and political strides. However, in spite of this progress, the continent still remains held back by many serious challenges- including corruption, poor governance, weak institutions, and unemployment, all of which negatively affect the continent’s socioeconomic and political progress,” said the Catholic Professionals in a statement sent to CISA.
The professionals noted that as a unique category of people with special gifts of educational and professional formation, they have the responsibility and duty to work towards a just world irrespective of the limitations.
In the same statement, they urged the Bishops of the Catholic Church not to hesitate to seek help from professionals by echoing Pope Benedict XVI’s word, ‘Do not hesitate to seek help from experts in auditing, so as to give example to the faithful and to society at large’.
The Catholic Professionals therefore gave a number of strategies to which they would commit including deepened and outstretched collaboration with church institutions and even outside the church.
“It is imperative that we deepen our collaboration with church institutions. We need to establish presence in Small Christian Communities, parishes and dioceses. We need to mobilize and organize ourselves at the national level through the national lay apostolate. Importantly, we need to mobilize and organize at the regional episcopal conferences.”
ICMICA is part of the Pax Romana movement that focuses on issues human rights, democracy, education, poverty eradication, sustainable development, and inter-cultural/inter-religious with a Catholic approach.
