In their first plenary assembly for 2026, the Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Angola and Sao Tome (CEAST) convened recently in the country’s capital, Luanda. During the meeting, they issued a Pastoral Letter and approved the official prayer for the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Angola.
Anastacio Sasembele – Luanda Over six days of intensive discussions, the bishops reflected on various topics of ecclesial and national significance, as highlighted in the diocesan and institutional reports presented to them. Later this week, at a press conference, Spokesperson Bishop Belmiro Chissengueti shared with the media the main issues discussed, emphasising the Church’s ongoing commitment to evangelisation and holistic human development. He also expressed the local Church’s joy at the forthcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Angola. Waiting for Pope Leo XIV The bishops expressed great enthusiasm regarding the pope’s imminent visit and called for greater and wider participation by all the faithful and all Angolans of goodwill in the major celebrations scheduled for Kilamba, Muxima, and Saurimo. They also announced the relaunch of the CEAST website as the main and official source of information and communication regarding the Apostolic Visit. Promoting small family farms The bishops also voiced concern over the deteriorating social conditions in Angola. In light of rising hunger, poverty, prostitution, and crime, they urged government authorities to prioritise and allocate budget resources toward programs such as small-scale family farms, food self-sufficiency initiatives, and rural job creation. They further underlined the high number of children and youth outside the educational system, along with increasing dropout rates, which were worsened by teacher absenteeism especially in rural areas. The bishops stressed the urgent need to reorganise and strengthen the educational system to combat rising illiteracy in the country. Another pressing issue addressed was the alarming rate of deforestation, which poses serious environmental concerns CEAST called for coordinated action from government and civil society to mitigate environmental degradation and preserve natural resources for future generations.