PANAF 2027

A RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE VIEW | BR. WORKU DEMEKE, OFMCAP. | PROVINCIAL MINISTER OF ETHIOPIA | CAMSA SECRETARY INTRODUCTION The piece entitled Annals of the Pan-African Capuchin Congress (PACC) provides both a retrospective and prospective view on the Pan-African Capuchin initiative, with the aim of clarifying terminological ambiguities, historical context, and assessing certain progress made. It is my belief that individuals who have had the opportunity to read various documents related to this initiative or papers presented during the celebration can grasp the meaning of terminological ambiguities. In some instances, it is referred to as a conference, while in others it is called an assembly, a meeting, or a congress. Another issue arises from the confusion regarding the frequency and locations of its occurrences. Even if it is not inherently confusing, many individuals do not have a clear understanding of the initiative’s objectives as well.  Therefore, the primary aim of this article is to clarify both the terminological and historical confusions, as well as to communicate the purpose of the initiative. Additionally, it seeks to analyze some of the topics discussed in various congresses to enhance understanding of the challenges faced by Capuchins who live in Africa. The article is structured into four main sections: Semantics, The Purpose and the Chronicles, Relevant Topics, and the Strategic Framework of the 6th Pan-African Capuchin Congress. 1. SEMANTICS Before delving into the specifics, it may be beneficial to begin with the essential semantic terms, namely “PAN” and “Congress”. It is quite prevalent to encounter the prefix “Pan-” in various spheres such as economics, politics, social issues, religion, and others. This prefix, which originates from Greek, signifies “all,” “every,” or “inclusive of everything.” When it is paired with geographical or cultural descriptors like “African” or “American,” it characterizes movements, ideologies, or organizations that aim to unify, connect, or represent a particular group across national, continental, or global frontiers. Regarding the term “Congress,” the first observation is that it is often used interchangeably with terms such as assembly, conference, and meeting. This leads to the immediate inquiry: are these terms synonymous? The Merriam-Webster dictionary clarifies that the term congress denotes a formal, periodic assembly of representatives or experts from constituent organizations, institutions, or courts, among others, for the purpose of discussion and typically action on a specific issue; whereas assembly generally refers to a legislative body or a gathering aimed at a particular, often legislative, objective. Conference is typically a less formal, often theme-oriented gathering intended for knowledge sharing; while meeting serves as the broadest term for smaller, shorter gatherings. When discussing our Pan-African Capuchin initiative, some individuals refer to it as a meeting, while others call it an assembly others as a congress again others as a conference. I believe it is more appropriate to use the term “congress” for three reasons. Firstly, in a letter dated June 24, 1997, which announces the establishment of the EACC (Pro. No. 0046), General Minister John Coriveau employed the term “congress” to describe the second Pan-African gathering that took place in Pretoria, South Africa, in December 1996. Since this term is already present in one of our official institutional documents, it is advisable to continue its usage. Secondly, we currently have two established structures, namely the EACC and CONCAO, which are designated as conferences. Additionally, during the fifth Pan-African Capuchin Congress held from November 7-10, 2016, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a new initiative was introduced that unites all Capuchins in Africa under the title Capuchins Assembly of Major Superiors of Africa (CAMSA). The existence of these two terminologies leads to potential confusion if we replicate them. Lastly, if we limit ourselves to just two terms, “congress” and “meeting”, the term that is more fitting would be “congress”, as it signifies a formal, periodic assembly of representatives of all Capuchins in Africa for the purpose of discussion and decision-making on various issues, rather than “meeting”, which implies smaller, shorter gatherings. Therefore, the initiative needs to be called Pan-African Capuchin Congress (PACC). 2. THE PURPOSE AND THE CHRONICLES When we delve into the specifics, the initial aspect that emerges is the significance of the term Pan-African Capuchin Congress (PACC), which is the gathering of all major Capuchin superiors from Africa and Madagascar. The event allows them to spend a week in the company of the General Minister and his Council, reflecting on the lives of the Capuchin Friars Minor in Africa. The aim is to enhance the Capuchin identity by nurturing human and fraternal bonds that form their life, formation, mission, economic stewardship, and collaborative witness in conjunction with local Churches and the broader world. To date, PACC has been held five times, with the sixth scheduled to occur at St Francis friary in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from February 1 to 6, 2027. Usually, PACC is hosted in one of the African nations, based on the decision of the General Minister and his councilors. The General Minister convenes the PACC and presides over it. To date, the Capuchins in Africa have conducted six PACCs, which are as follows: It is evident that numerous issues have been discussed in all these PACCs, leading to various directives aimed at shaping the life and mission of the Capuchins in Africa. Nevertheless, the decisions made during the second and fifth PACCs are particularly significant. At the second PACC, it was agreed that the Capuchins in Africa should be organized and coordinated in a more united manner instead of being fragmented into smaller groups. As a result, the previous associations ASMAC (Central African Republic, Chad and Zaire), CAOC (Angola, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin and Equatorial Guinea), NEACA (Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti) and SEACA (Tanzania, Madagascar, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe) have been dissolved, and two new conferences, namely EACC and CONCAO, have been established. Furthermore, during the fifth PACC, both conferences reached an agreement to create an assembly known as the Capuchin Assembly of Major Superiors of Africa, aimed at enhancing communication and collaboration at