Bishops of Cameroon in Rome for Ad Limina

(Vatican Radio) The Catholic bishops of Cameroon began their Ad Limina visit with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Monday, an opportunity to update the pontiff on the activities of the Church in the country and to discuss issues of concern .

While the Church in Cameroon grows in number and in vocations, the bishops continue to rally their calls for justice and an end to endemic corruption in Cameroonian society. They also seek ways to deal with the impact of attacks by Boko Haram militants in the north of the country.

Listen to the report by Laura Ieraci:

In an interview with Vatican Radio ahead of the Sept. 1 to 6 visit, Archbishop Samuel Kleda, president of the Catholic bishops’ conference of Cameroon, identified the pastoral challenges of the Church in the country as relating to justice, human rights and the family, and said the bishops are preparing a pastoral action plan for the family, so as to help bring about the domestic Church.

The episcopal conference, he said, is working a great deal to advance justice and human rights in the country. In the face of conflicts, the bishops intervene to help advance reconciliation and peaceful solutions.

Archbishop Kleda also spoke about the “worrisome” situation in the north of the country that borders with Nigeria, where attacks by Islamic extremists Boko Haram have become “regular”. In 2013, a French priest was kidnapped and, just this year, two Italian priests and a Canadian sister were also kidnapped. All of them were released, but the violence has led foreign missionaries to leave the region, leaving an important void.

The Church in Cameroon was established in 1890 and has experienced significant growth in these past 124 years, becoming self-sufficient, both financially and in terms vocations.

Cameroon became a republic in 1961 and boasts a population of about 20 million, of which 5.5 million are Catholic. The Church is organized into five archdioceses and 20 dioceses, and operates 1,500 schools, including three universities. The Church is also active in the fields of health and social services. And this past year, it established its own Catholic broadcaster, TV Veritas.