Catholic Bishops in Angola Propose Pastoral Approach Attuned to African Realities at International Biblical Symposium

Catholic bishops in Angola have called for a pastoral approach that addresses the specific realities of the African continent. Speaking at the Third International Biblical Symposium in Luanda on September 17, Bishop Estanislau Marques Chindekasse said the Church must respond to various forms of hunger affecting people across Africa.

Bishop Chindekasse, who serves as the vice president of the Bishops' Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe, said the Church needs a profound pastoral conversion. He stated that pastoral work should combine listening to the Word of God, celebrating faith, and providing direct service to those in need.

The bishop identified four specific types of hunger: material hunger for food, spiritual hunger for meaning, cultural hunger for identity, and social hunger for justice and dignity. He noted that because hunger in Africa extends beyond material needs, the Church must respond to the whole person. The symposium took place at the Michael Kennedy Auditorium of the Catholic University of Angola.