Members of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) have convened at Khanya House, the conference headquarters in the Archdiocese of Pretoria, for their August plenary session. The gathering brings together bishops from across Botswana, Eswatini, and South Africa to reflect, deliberate, and discern key pastoral priorities for the region.

Following a decision taken during the January 2025 plenary session, all future plenary meetings will now be held at the SACBC headquarters. This shift allows for a more consistent and coordinated working environment for the bishops and their secretariat.

The August plenary, which runs from 4 to 8 August, was formally opened on Monday evening with vespers with benediction led by Bishop José Luis Ponce de León IMC, of the Diocese of Manzini. In keeping with the spirit of synodality, the session invites deep spiritual reflection and communion before moving into formal deliberations.

Throughout the week, the bishops will examine a range of pastoral concerns affecting the local Church. Topics on the agenda include family life, the role of the laity, ongoing synodal processes, ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, seminary formation, Christian formation, and care for creation, among others.

The session also includes a moment of transition in the diplomatic representation of the Holy See in the region. The bishops will bid farewell to Monsignor Dario Paviša, Chargé d’Affaires at the Apostolic Nunciature in South Africa, who has been reassigned to serve in Malawi and Zambia. Monsignor Paviša has played a valuable role in strengthening ties between the Holy See and the local Church during his time in Southern Africa.

As the plenary continues, the bishops are expected to release a closing statement summarizing their reflections and pastoral resolutions for the months ahead