Keypoints:
- 281m Catholics make Africa fastest-growing Church hub.
- Youth majority set to shape Catholic future.
- SECAM charts 2025–28 agenda on faith, youth, climate.
AFRICA has become the fastest-growing region for Catholicism worldwide, with its influence on the global Church set to deepen over the coming decades, Archbishop Gabriel Charles Palmer‑Buckle of Ghana’s Cape Coast Archdiocese said on Thursday at the 20th Plenary Assembly of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) in Kigali.
‘Africa is now the fastest-growing continent for Catholicism in the world,’ Palmer‑Buckle told delegates. ‘We already account for 21 per cent of the global Church and this number is rising steadily.’
Rapid growth backed by numbers
Africa’s Catholic population stands at approximately 281 million out of the continent’s 1.55 billion inhabitants, spread across 540 dioceses and shepherded by 758 bishops. There are around 50,000 priests and over 80,000 religious men and women serving communities across Africa, making the continent one of the Church’s most dynamic mission fields.
Youthful population shaping the future
With over 65 per cent of Africans under the age of 35, Palmer‑Buckle called the continent’s youthful demographic a defining factor in its Catholic identity. ‘Two-thirds of our people are under 35. This is a blessing we must harness and a challenge we must not ignore,’ he said.
He added that the Church has a responsibility to guide this energy towards evangelisation, education, and peacebuilding, countering forces that threaten social cohesion.
Church’s role in a complex geopolitical landscape
The Archbishop said Africa’s growing population and resource wealth have made it a focal point for global competition and political manoeuvring. ‘We cannot allow others to shape our destiny,’ he warned. ‘The Church must stand as a moral compass and a stabilising force for our continent.’
SECAM charts a new course
Held from July 30 to August 4 under the theme Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace, the SECAM plenary is reviewing progress since its 2022 assembly in Accra and defining priorities for 2025–28.
These include stronger youth engagement, climate action, governance reforms, digital evangelisation, family ministry and deeper theological formation rooted in African values. ‘SECAM must become a household name for every African Catholic,’ Palmer‑Buckle said. ‘Our theology and mission must speak authentically to our people and the challenges of our time.’
A mission beyond Africa
The Archbishop called on Africa’s Catholic community to offer its vitality and growing vocations to the global Church. Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he said: ‘The Holy Father called Africa one of the spiritual lungs of humanity. Let this be our mission for the next 25 years.’
