The Catholic Church in Sierra Leone will this year host the 30th plenary assembly of the Association of Episcopal Conference of West Africa (AECAWA).
This was disclosed by the Secretary General of the Bishops Conference of Sierra Leone and The Gambia Rev Fr. Paul Sandy.
 He told Awoko that this year’s conference which will be held between the 5th and the 12th October will see 50 Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals from all over the Anglophone West Africa countries.
The Secretary General said that this year’s theme is “the church and Christian/ Muslim collaboration” adding that the Bishops will be praying for the country as we have just concluded a peaceful election.
The opening mass will take place at the Saint Anthony’s Parish and the Bishops are expected to visit other parishes in the Western Area where they will hold discussions with other parishioners.
The conference, which will be held at the Cape Sierra Hotel, Fr. Sandy explained, is for the Bishops to meet, collaborate at regional level and try to put their personal plans together.
 “The conference is also geared to see how the West African Anglophone countries can integrate the pastoral plan of the church in the sub region,” the priest said.
The impact of this AECAWA Fr. Sandy revealed, will see the renewal of the church in the sense that the church and people together with the people of Sierra Leone can feel that the other churches in the sub region are in solidarity with it.
This solidarity he maintained has also been shown after the decade long war in the country when Bishops from the sub region paid a special visit to the country.
This conference he went on, will show true love, communion and unity among the churches in the country “so with a united front we may together address the social, political and economic problems in the sub region and also bring the gospel to all Africans in a way that is congenial to the African states together with the universal. Church” Rev. Fr. Sandy revealed.
AECAWA he explained was established in 1977 meets every three years and this is the 11th conference