Vatican Official to Grace IMBISA Gathering to Address Challenges Posed by Conflicts

Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, a Vatican official from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, will participate in a workshop in Pretoria from October 12 to 16. The Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) organized the event to address challenges caused by regional conflicts.

The workshop focuses on empowering religious leaders to advocate for socio-political, economic, and environmental issues within the IMBISA region. According to a statement from the IMBISA Secretariat, the gathering will include bishops and Justice and Peace officials from various episcopal conferences in the area.

The Secretariat noted that Sr. Smerilli’s presence represents the leadership of the Dicastery and reflects the priority concerns of the Holy See. Her participation is intended to serve as a bridge between the Vatican and local Church levels, such as regional conferences and local Justice and Peace commissions, to collect regional concerns and share global guidelines for social action.