Ethiopian cardinal-designate wants Catholic bishops represented in African Union

January 09, 2015

Archbishop Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel of Addis Ababa, who will receive a cardinal's red hat at the February consistory, has promised to work for official recognition of the Catholic Church by the African Union.

The cardinal-designate said that he foresees a role for two episcopal conferences-- the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA)-- as permanent observers at the African Union.

Noting that the African Union has its headquarters in Addis Ababa, the city's archbishop said that he would use his new stature as cardinal to secure the Church bodies observer status.

 

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Further information:

• Cardinal-designate Souraphiel: "I will work for the Church so that it obtains the observer status in the African Union" (Fides)