Women religious watch on a monitor outside the cathedral as Pope Francis leads a prayer meeting with priests, religious and seminarians Feb. 2, 2023, in Our Lady of the Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa, Congo. Catholic bishops from Europe and Africa in a joint statement May 21, 2025, warned that Africa is again becoming a "battleground for external interests," and have demanded an end to "land grabbing" across the continent. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) Catholic leaders in Africa have described the Church’s growth there as an opportunity to share its faith, vocations, and missionary experience with the universal Church while continuing to receive gifts from other local Churches. According to the latest statistics published by Agenzia Fides, Africa’s Catholic population has now surpassed Europe’s, rising to 288.3 million compared…
