JOHANNESBURG (SOUTH AFRICA)
ACI Africa - Association for Catholic Information in Africa [Nouaceur, Morocco]
May 26, 2025
By Jude Atemanke
There is need for Catholic Church leaders in Africa to address the challenge of sexual abuse against women Religious wherever and whenever it happens, fostering the values of justice, transparency, and healing, a Zambian Catholic Nun has said.
In her presentation during the ongoing Symposium and 6th Annual General Meeting of the Conference of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (COMSAM) in South Africa, Sr. Linah Siabana underscored the Church’s moral responsibility to uphold the safety and rights of all people, and cautioned against institutional silence.
“Sexual abuse represents a profound and hallowing failure to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities,” Sr. Siabana said on May 24.
Highlighting the role of Catholic Church leaders as “stewards of human dignity”, the Zambian-born member of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA) said, “We bear a collective responsibility to ensure that our conduct consistently safeguards the rights and well-being of those entrusted to our care.”
She challenged Catholic Church leaders, including those at the helm of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL) in Africa, to “move beyond institutional protectionism and take bold, transparent steps to protect and empower women Religious.”
Some of the steps include putting in place safeguarding policies, providing psychological and spiritual accompaniment, investing in professional training, and having “non-judgmental” reporting structures characterized with confidentiality.
“Our formation prepares you to be a responsible person, to be a person who can be a witness. Whenever we are putting people in charge of the young people in formation, let us see what kind of people we are bringing on board,” Sr. Siabana said May 24 at the ongoing COMSAM.
COMSAM is a Vatican-endorsed confederation that SECAM established in 2005. It brings together Conferences of Major Superiors from across Africa and its islands to support, strengthen, and empower the Consecrated on the continent. COMSAM works in close partnership with the Vatican Dicastery for ICLSAL, the department of the Roman Curia that is responsible for matters concerning women and men Religious.
COMSAM aims to foster collaboration, provide formation, and encourage mission engagement among ICLSAL across linguistic and cultural boundaries in Africa.
The ongoing May 23-30 event in the South Africa’s Catholic Archdioceses of Johannesburg and Pretoria has brought together women and men Religious leaders from across Africa to reflect on the theme, “Hope, Synodality and the Empowerment of Consecrated Life in Africa.”
It is the first time South Africa is hosting COMSAM. Members of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) recognized this in a May 17 note in which they described the hosting as “a milestone that reflects the growing unity and collaboration among religious communities in the region.”
“The gathering also coincides with Africa Month, further highlighting its importance in affirming African identity and solidarity within the Church,” SACBC members noted, alluding to events culminating in the annual Africa Day marked on May 25.
In her presentation on May 24, Sr. Siabana urged participants in COMSAM to abandon the culture of silence and denial and commit to a Church culture rooted in truth, healing, and accountability.
“Let us not make our Sisters beggars. Don’t make us seem as if we do not know what we are doing in life. We have different gifts. We are talented. But at times, that is not enough. We need to be empowered,” she said.
Sr. Siabana emphasized the value of capacity building, and added, “It also helps people learn where their boundaries are.”
“We need to create safe spaces where victims can express themselves and feel at home,” Sr. Siabana said, underscoring the need for transparency in ICLSAL, where the welfare of victims of abuses is prioritized over institutional reputation.
She emphasized, “If we are to journey together as pilgrims of hope, let us be bearers of hope for one another; let us be our brother’s and our sister’s keeper.”
Also speaking during the May 24 sessions, Sr. Jane Joan Kimathi reflected on how the African tradition of palaver—communal dialogue rooted in mutual respect—has significantly shaped the participation of women and men Religious in Africa in the multi-year Synod on Synodality.
In her presentation titled, “The contribution of African Palaver to African Participation in the Synod”, Sr. Jane said that the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN) convened 14 thematic palaver sessions aligned with the synodal journey.
The sessions, the PACTPAN Director of Programs said, brought together contributions from Cardinals, Catholic Bishops, theologians, pastoral workers, and ICLSAL across the continent and the diaspora.
Bottom of Form
These gatherings were spaces of honest sharing, deep listening, and collaborative discernment that enriched the Church’s synodal process from an authentically African perspective, Sr. Jane said.
Describing the African palaver as “a communal dialogue,” she noted that the tradition echoed the Ubuntu philosophy, which is, “I am because we are.” Through such dialogue, “we sat together without pointing a finger… we listened. And we reached a consensus together,” the Kenyan member of the Congregation of Sisters For Christian Community (SFCC) said.
“Many religious communities today face a pressing pastoral dilemma: how to live out evangelical poverty while maintaining the economic sustainability of the ministry?” She posed and further queried, “How do I live my poverty within the poverty that I’m serving?”
Sr. Jane called for ethical stewardship, financial innovation, and leadership formation rooted in African realities. She said, “Empowerment then is not about exercising control or dominance; rather, it’s about nurturing the inner capacity of the individual. How can I get my sisters up within the society of South Africa? That’s part of economizing our economy within ourselves.”
Beyond economics, she advocated for a formation that integrates spiritual rootedness with social awareness. “We are not just to form people spiritually, but also to equip them to respond to the reality of the time,” Sr. Jane said.
She noted that Consecrated Life in Africa holds immense promise. “Grounded in the theological virtue of hope, by participatory spirit of synodality and strengthening our empowerment — personal, economic empowerment — consecrated persons are well-positioned to lead the Church into a renewed future in Africa,” she said.
Sr. Jane appealed, “Let us work together as one body, inspired by Christ’s call to abundant life for all God’s people in Africa.”
Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.