In a landmark step aimed at deepening unity, strengthening pastoral collaboration, and enhancing priestly formation, the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia have resolved to merge into a single regional episcopal body. According to a statement, the decision was reached during a three-day solidarity visit, and the Plenary Assembly held from January 23–25, 2026, in the city of Makeni, Sierra Leone, bringing together members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia (CABICOL) and the Inter-Territorial Catholic Bishops’ Conference of The Gambia and Sierra Leone (ITCABIC).
In a joint communiqué issued at the close of the meeting, the bishops announced the formation of a new conference to be known as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone (CBCGLS). The resolution was adopted following prayerful deliberations and a formal vote by the eight bishops present, with seven voting in favor and one against.
Also, the bishops described the merger as a concrete expression of ecclesial communion inspired by Christ’s prayer for unity, “Ut Unum Sint” (“that they may all be one,” John 17:21) and aligned with the spirit of the ongoing Synod on Synodality. While committing to work as one Episcopal Conference, the bishops emphasized that the autonomy of individual dioceses would be fully respected in accordance with Church law.
Beyond structural unity, the communiqué reaffirmed the bishops’ collective commitment to pastoral care that addresses not only the spiritual needs of the faithful but also their psychological, moral, and economic well-being, with particular concern for the poor and marginalized. During the sitting, the bishops renewed their resolve to safeguard minors and vulnerable adults, in line with the Church’s global standards and the Motu Proprio Vos Estis Lux Mundi promulgated under Pope Francis.
The assembly further pledged unwavering support for the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, invoking God’s blessings upon his pontificate through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. To operationalize the merger, a six-member committee was established to review and harmonize the statutes of the existing conferences and present a revised framework for the new CBCGLS.
The committee is chaired by Most Rev. Henry Aruna, Bishop of Kenema, and includes priests from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia, reflecting the regional character of the new body. In a significant move to strengthen priestly formation and foster regional integration, the bishops also resolved to decentralize seminary training across the three countries: philosophical studies will be based in Liberia, theological studies in Sierra Leone, and the Spiritual (Pastoral) Year in The Gambia.
However, the communiqué concluded by entrusting the newly formed CBCGLS to the maternal care of Mary, Queen of The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, as the bishops imparted their blessings on all the faithful within their territories. The resolutions were formally adopted on Sunday, January 25, 2026, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle and signed by Most Rev. Gabriel Mendy, C.S.Sp., President of ITCABIC, and Most Rev. Anthony F. Borwah, President of CABICOL, marking what Church leaders describe as a historic moment for Catholic witness and cooperation in the Mano River and Senegambia regions.
