North African Bishops reflect on synodality

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Founded in 1965, the Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa, or CERNA (Conférence Episcopale Régionale du Nord de l'Afrique), the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara, has concluded its week-long meeting in Rabat, Morocco, the Conference's headquarters.

CERNA is among the regional conferences of the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, often referred to simply as SECAM.

In a statement issued by the regional conference's President, Spanish-born Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, the Archbishop of Rabat, he and his brothers in the episcopate spoke about the assembly's reflections focused on three main points: the ongoing synodal process on synodality, a theological reflection on the life of the Maghreb churches, and the reception of the recent Declaration Fiducia supplicans of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on the pastoral significance of blessings. 

CERNA also announced its decision to support the initiative of the Archdiocese of Tangier to open the cause of beatification of Father Jose Maria Lerchundi (1836-1896), OFM, "whose reputation for holiness through his writings, charitable initiatives, and cultural and social 'bridging' initiatives, between the Moroccan Muslim and Christian worlds, have left their mark on the Diocese."

The next encounter will take place in Rome in November 2024, on the occasion of the regional conference's ad Limina visit.

One can read the full statement in French at the website of the Bishops Conference of Algeria.