The President of the Pan African Episcopal Commitee for Social Communications of Catholic Church (CEPACS), His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo , has announced that over 80 Bishops and distinguished communication experts across the world are expected to grace the 50 years anniversary of CEPACS scheduled to hold in Lagos in November.

His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr Emmanuel Badejo who also doubles as the Bishop of Oyo Diocese in Nigeria said the 50 years celebration of CEPACS which is the Bishops communications committee of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) would purely be devoted to re-energising the group so that it could continue to deliver on its mandate in conformity with the modern trends.

"The theme of the assembly will be CEPACS at 50: Towards Promoting a Synodal Church in Africa Through Social Communications .It is possible in this manner because of the providential convergence of purpose and personnel with the African Communication Committee for the ongoing Synod on Synodality. I hope that the interest and enthusiasm thus generated will be sustained long after the celebration.’’

Bishop Badejo further said in a statement made available to COAFRICA on Friday, "CEPACS was established 50 years ago at Ibadan in 1973 by the Bishops of SECAM during their meeting, in collaboration with what was then the Pontifical Council for Social Communications of the Vatican.

"CEPACS has had bright and not so bright moments. Re-energizing CEPACS to now respond to the current needs of the Church is the purpose of its golden jubilee assembly coming up in Lagos Nigeria especially in this period of Synodality in the catholic Church"

While saying that the golden jubilee would be virtually accessible to everyone around the world, Badejo said the President of SECAM, Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo of Kinshasa and other members of the Standing Committee of SECAM would grace the occasion while the Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, Dr Paolo Ruffini will give the keynote address.

About 80 Bishops and Communications experts from all over Africa and beyond, including many from Nigeria will converge at the Archdiocese of Lagos for this event

Others expected at golden jubilee are Bishops Chairmen of the Commuication Apostolate from the eight regions into which the Church in Africa is configured, heads and officers of various communications and media outfits and schools in Africa, including local and expatriate media dignitaries of the digital space from the Vatican and other part of the world. The anniversary is scheduled to run between Nov 18 and 24.

CEPACS is an arm of the Catholic Church which handles all matters concerning the church’s activities in the realm of media in Africa and Madagascar - press, radio, television, video, traditional, group media, new forms of media among others