{"id":5728,"date":"2026-01-05T19:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T19:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/5728\/"},"modified":"2026-01-05T19:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T19:56:09","slug":"ethiopias-bishops-speak-with-new-courage-in-synodality-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/5728\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethiopia\u2019s bishops speak with new courage in synodality message"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n \"ACI
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

By ACI Africa<\/a>\n <\/p>\n

Jan 5, 2026 \/
\n 12:34 pm<\/p>\n

Catholic bishops in Ethiopia have issued a far-reaching synodality message that speaks to the fear, suffering, and fragmentation gripping the Horn of Africa nation, repeatedly urging the people of God to \u201cnot be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dated Dec. 10, 2025, and obtained on Jan. 4 by ACI Africa, CNA\u2019s news partner in Africa, the message was released at the conclusion of the 59th Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops\u2019 Conference of Ethiopia<\/a> (CBCE) members, held in Emdibir Dec. 8\u201310. The gathering marked both the close of the jubilee year and the formal beginning of the implementation of the final document of the Synod on Synodality<\/a> in Ethiopia.<\/p>\n

\"MembersMembers of the Catholic Bishops\u2019 Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) meet before issuing a synodal message about courage in the face of many hardships. | Credit: CBCE<\/p>\n

A Catholic missionary source familiar with the Church in Ethiopia told ACI Africa that the CBCE members\u2019 decision to circulate the message widely \u2014 and to request that it be read out at parish Masses \u2014 represents a significant shift.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that the Catholic bishops are circulating the statement and asking to have it read at parish Masses is something new,\u201d the source said, adding that Catholic bishops in Ethiopia \u201cwere very fearful in the past. Maybe this \u2018don\u2019t be afraid\u2019 is a new start for a marginal Church.\u201d<\/p>\n

A message rooted in Advent hope<\/p>\n

The bishops\u2019 message was addressed to clergy, women and men religious, and the laity \u2014 including Catholics in the diaspora and \u201call people of goodwill, \u201dand was inspired by the words of the angel to the shepherds: \u201cDo not be afraid; I bring you good news of great joy for all people\u201d (Lk 2:10).<\/p>\n

Written during Advent to culminate in Christmas, which is celebrated on Jan. 7 in Ethiopia, the Catholic bishops situated their pastoral exhortation firmly within the concrete realities of Ethiopian life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a nation burdened by many hardships \u2014 poverty, conflict, climate change, cultural confusion, and division \u2014 these words remind us that even amid darkness, the divine light of Christ shines forth, guiding us toward renewed hope and unity,\u201d CBCE members said.<\/p>\n

The bishops said their call to courage is not denial of suffering but rather a proclamation of faith. \u201cWe proclaim it not as a denial of the profound suffering and fear that grips our nation but as a faith-filled affirmation that God is with us,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n

Naming the wounds of the nation<\/p>\n

The bishops described the \u201cheavy burdens\u201d afflicting the nation, beginning with the crushing cost of living.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor so many families, daily life has become unbearable,\u201d they said, adding that \u201csoaring prices render basic provisions a luxury. Parents watch helplessly as children go to bed hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Church leaders framed this reality as a violation of Catholic social teaching<\/a>, emphasizing the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable and insisting that economic structures must serve human dignity.<\/p>\n

They also drew attention to the devastating impact of climate change, particularly drought and environmental degradation.<\/p>\n

\u201cImagine those who are dying of hunger in a country of plenty,\u201d they wrote, calling for \u201cecological conversion\u201d and quoting the May 2015 encyclical letter on care for our common home, Laudato Si\u2019<\/a>, on the need for \u201can overall personal conversion\u2026 which leads to heartfelt repentance and desire to change.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Story continues below)<\/p>\n

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\"CatholicCatholic bishops and clergy gather with religious in Ethiopia ahead of a new statement from the bishops there. | Credit: CBCE
\n Cultural fragmentation and the loss of the common good<\/p>\n

The bishops warned that Ethiopia\u2019s social fabric is fraying under the weight of tribal conflicts, ethnic hatred, and ideologies of division, compounded by uncritical adoption of modern digital culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new culture shaped by digitization is doing away with our long-standing values,\u201d they observed, warning that an \u201cus vs. them mentality\u201d amplified by social media is eroding the sense of the common good.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe risk losing the sense of common good \u2014 that the well-being of each is bound to the well-being of all,\u201d they caution.<\/p>\n

\u2018Our land is soaked in pain\u2019<\/p>\n

The CBCE members also addressed war and insecurity. \u201cOur land is soaked in pain,\u201d they said, pointing to civil war, ongoing local violence, and conflicts rooted in religion, ethnicity, and politics.<\/p>\n

They insisted that peace is not simply the absence of war. \u201cThe Catholic Church teaches us that peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice and the flourishing of human dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

In their message, the bishops ask: \u201cWhen will we have enough? When will we turn away from the cycle of violence and work towards healing and rebuilding?\u201d<\/p>\n

They described the social consequences of conflict \u2014 economic collapse, cultural erosion, and widespread displacement \u2014 highlighting the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Ethiopians forced into precarious lives abroad.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a Church, we cannot remain silent in the face of such suffering,\u201d they declared. \u201cWe are called to be instruments of peace, to advocate for the voiceless, and to work tirelessly for reconciliation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The failure to dialogue<\/p>\n

Another wound CBCE members identified in their statement was the breakdown of communication at every level of society. \u201cOur greatest failure may be our inability to dialogue,\u201d they said, lamenting a \u201cBabylon of confusion\u201d where people no longer listen to one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

They cited Pope Francis\u2019 encyclical on human fraternity and social friendship, Fratelli Tutti<\/a>, stressing that authentic dialogue requires \u201cthe ability to respect the other\u2019s point of view and to admit that it may include legitimate convictions and concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Synodality as an act of resistance<\/p>\n

Against this backdrop of fear, division, and violence, the bishops presented synodality not as an abstract ecclesial process but as a prophetic response. \u201cWalking together is an act of resistance against every force that divides and destroys,\u201d they asserted.<\/p>\n

\"CatholicCatholic bishops and clergy gather with religious and laity before issuing a synodal message encouraging the faithful to have courage in the face of hardship. | Credit: CBCE<\/p>\n

Quoting the Synod Vademecum<\/a>, they reminded the people of God that synodality is \u201cthe path along which the Church is called to walk \u2026 making everyone participate in a journey of common listening and discernment.\u201d<\/p>\n

They emphasized that this is \u201cnot merely a Church exercise; it is a prophetic witness and a concrete answer to the deep crises we face as a nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Do not be afraid\u2019<\/p>\n

In one of the most pastorally detailed sections of the CBCE members\u2019 message, the Catholic bishops repeatedly exhort the people of God: \u201cDo not be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n

They urged Catholics to walk as \u201ccompanions in the journey,\u201d to listen deeply \u2014 especially to those on the peripheries \u2014 and to speak the truth \u201cwith courage and prudence.\u201d<\/p>\n

They insisted that liturgical life and prayer remain central, encouraging Catholics not to fear \u201cto keep intact your identity as Catholics as expressed in your liturgical life.\u201d<\/p>\n

CBCE members also call for co-responsibility in mission, urging the baptized to participate actively in evangelization and integral human development \u201cto benefit all humanity regardless of their creed, tribe, religion, or any background.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dialogue, ecumenism, renewed forms of authority as service, communal discernment, and formation in synodality are all framed by the same refrain: Do not be afraid.<\/p>\n

Mary as the model of a synodal Church<\/p>\n

The message culminates in a Marian vision of the Church.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see the features of a synodal, missionary, and merciful Church shining in full light in the Virgin Mary,\u201d they write, describing her as the one who \u201clistens, prays, meditates, dialogues, accompanies, discerns, decides, and acts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Invoking St. Paul VI, they recall that \u201cthe action of the Church in the world can be likened to an extension of Mary\u2019s concern.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new public voice for a marginal Church<\/p>\n

By asking that their message be read aloud at Catholic Masses across the country, the bishops\u2019 message of courage can reach even the smallest communities.<\/p>\n

As the missionary source told ACI Africa: \u201cMaybe this \u2018don\u2019t be afraid\u2019 is a new start for a marginal Church.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story was first published<\/a> by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.<\/p>\n


\n \"ACI
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

ACI Africa (www.aciafricanews.com) is a service of EWTN News Inc. (www.ewtnnews.com) along with Catholic News Agency. It was officially inaugurated on Aug. 17, 2019, as a continental Catholic news agency serving the Church in Africa. Headquartered in Kenyas capital, Nairobi, this media apostolate will strive to tell Africas news by providing media coverage of Catholic events on the African continent and giving visibility to the activities of the Church across Africa. The editor-in-chief of ACI Africa is Father Don Bosco Onyalla.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By ACI Africa Jan 5, 2026 \/ 12:34 pm Catholic bishops in Ethiopia have issued a far-reaching synodality…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5729,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[4371,65,929],"class_list":{"0":"post-5728","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ethiopia","8":"tag-catholic-news","9":"tag-ethiopia","10":"tag-world"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5728","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5728"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5728\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5728"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5728"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5728"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}