Africa
Africa
The Region of hope and great challenges, where the Federation is present from the moment of its foundation.
The beginning of the biblical apostolate on the African continent was due to the initiative of Fr. Adrian Smith, wf, who started that form of pastoral work in Lusaka, Zambia.
With the creation of the CBF this process took more dynamism. Since the very beginning, since the year of it’s foundation the CBF was present in Africa – before 1975 already 8 Bishops Conferences (or biblical institutions representing them) were members of the CBF (WCFBA). Recognizing this contribution of the Federation to the Church in Africa, in 1975, the Bishops of Africa organized within SECAM officially requested the CBF (WCFBA) to start an Africa service for the promotion of the biblical apostolate in Africa. Fr. Adrian Smith, wf, from Zambia was the Director of the English-speaking Africa Service from October 1975 till September 1978, when was succeeded by Fr. Wynnand Amewowo. Fr. Dieter Skweres, svd, from Togo was the Director of the French-speaking Africa Service from January 1978, when the service was created, until December 1979, when was succeeded also by Fr. Wynnand Amewowo. Thus Fr. Wynnand Amewowo was responsible for both the English- and French-speaking Africa Services as from 1979 on.
In 1981 SECAM decided to give the unified Africa Service (English- and French-speaking) a permanent structure through the creation of the Catholic Biblical Centre for Africa and Madagascar (BICAM) and it was formally fulfilled in 1983. The first Director of BICAM, Fr. Wynnand Amewowo, moved from Lomé to Nairobi in June, 1983. In 1996 BICAM became a full member of th Catholic Biblicale Federation. In 2003 the office of BICAM was transfered from Nairobi to Accra.
Catholic Biblical Federation currently has 58 members in Africa with 29 Episcopal Conferences and 29 associate members distributed in 31 countries of the African continent.
Coordinator
Vacant
Region video
Updates from Africa
SVD Youth Camp 2024 (Ghana)
SVD Ghana Province hosted a Youth Bible Camp from 10-15 September, with the theme of “The Youth as Scripture Ambassadors.”
Dei Verbum Course in Plumtree (Zimbabwe)
Ilizwi Biblical Center hosted a Dei Verbum Course from 21 July to 16 August, with the theme “Missionary Disciples of the Word.”
Bible camp on the book of Genesis in Togo
The parish of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Agoe-Nyive Logope hosted a Bible camp on the book of Genesis.
