Message From the 6th General Assembly of Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (Comsam)/ Cosmam

Dear brothers and sisters,

Gathered in Pretoria, Republic of South Africa for the 6th General Assembly and Symposium of COSMAM (Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar)  on the theme: “Hope, Synodality and Empowerment of Consecrated Life in Africa, we, the religious men and women of Africa, send you our fraternal greetings and our message of hope and confidence

in the future; we wish to build with you in the present of our lives.

Beyond the traditions of COSMAM/COMSAM triennial meetings, our meeting here in Pretoria has a special character. We are in a Jubilee year. At the heart of this Jubilee, Pope Francis has shown us the path of Hope, as we return to the Father’s house.

COSMAM/COMSAM gives thanks to God who, after Pope Francis, has chosen a consecrated man, Pope Leo XIV, worthy Son of Saint Augustine of Hippo, to lead the Church. The consecrated men and women of Africa and Madagascar assure Pope Leo XIV of their obedience, support and, above all, their humble prayers.

We were delighted to welcome Sister Simona BRAMBILLA, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, as well as His Eminence Cardinal Fridolin AMBONGO, President of SECAM (Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar). We appreciate the unfailing support of our partners Missio and Hilton Foundation.

During the conference, we prayed, reflected and exchanged ideas on various themes, including hope, synodality and the empowerment of our congregations.

As invited by Sister Simona BRAMBILLA, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, at the heart of the Church, we want to be for our contemporaries that tree in whose shelter they can rest, that tree that can purify the air around them, that tree that can heal them of their illnesses, that tree that can nourish them.

With the preaching of His Eminence Cardinal Fridolin AMBONGO BESUNGU, Cardinal Stephen BRISLIN, and the other speakers, we became aware that hope sets us in motion in faith and love, it’s the impetus that pushes us to walk together, to listen, to discern, to change our outlook. A synodal Church is a sign of hope for the world, because it’s a Church that listens, walks with the most disadvantaged, the wounded of life, and seeks communion in love and solidarity. We have experienced this at the Regina Mundi parish in Soweto, at the Union Buildings and at Freedom Park in Pretoria, and we will never forget these moments of intense communion with the brothers and sisters who shed their blood for the liberation of South Africa.

As consecrated persons, we are called to show the world the way to synodality and hope.

We therefore commit ourselves to:

• Deepen our relationship with Christ, so that seeing the world through his eyes, we can influence and build Africa and Madagascar;
• Commit ourselves to more Justice and Peace, and to the protection of the weakest in Africa and Madagascar, by getting involved in setting up Justice Peace Integrity of Creation (JPIC) commissions within our national conferences;
• Stir up hope at the heart of our institutes and congregations by encouraging the emergence of communities that promote peace, that join the poor and destitute in their fight for more justice, peace and fraternity;
• Be catalysts of communion, agents of ecclesial conversion, and spaces of prophetic Witness;
• Adopt the values of palaver, Ubuntu and the values of the African tradition;
• Consider a new spiritual culture, a new pastoral style that trains and listens to lay people, embodying our charisms to take over in collaboration;
• Collaborate with our bishops to build our church in Africa;
• Walk together towards the autonomy of our congregations as a prophetic witness to create an abundance of goods for sharing and proclaiming the gospel;
• Raise our voices and act to get Africa out of the system that impoverishes it;
• Protect vulnerable people against all kinds of abuse.

We invite all communities of consecrated life to be laboratories of synodality, signs and sacraments of hope for the Church and the world.

May our Lady of Africa walk with us and show us the way to her son.

Amen

Pretoria, May 30, 2025
On behalf of COMSAM Executive Board
Sr Rita YAMBA TADI, Fsp
President

Per Kind Favour of APO

Africa Fact: Bling culture existed in the mediaeval Sudan. Archaeologists found an individual buried at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in the city of Old Dongola. He was clad in an extremely elaborate garb consisting of costly textiles of various fabrics including gold thread. At the city of Soba East, there were individuals buried in fine clothing, including items with golden thread.