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2025 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF CAMEROON MAKE PUBLIC PASTORAL LETTER

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Bishops of Cameroon

PASTORAL LETTER OF THE BISHOPS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2025 PRESIDENTIAL AND REGIONAL ELECTIONS IN CAMEROON

To the People of God in Cameroon,
To all Cameroonians,
To all those involved in politics,

To men and women of goodwill

Dear Christian Faithful,

Dear fellow citizens.

“If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor” (Ps 126 :1).

I. PREAMBLE

1. The year 2025, as we very well know, is a crucial and decisive year in the socio-political life of Cameroon, due to the presidential and regional elections.

2. Elections represent significant moments that engage the attention of all citizens, while at the same time it is an occasion for the people to assert their sovereignty through the free and deliberate choice of their leaders. The presidential election, in particular, takes on a very important stake, that deserves to be approached in an informed and conscientious manner when voting.

3. Under such circumstances, which are extremely important and decisive for our country, We, the Bishops of Cameroon, strengthened by our faith with Jesus Christ and faithful to our duty as
Pastors, and above all, faithful to our mission to teach, have always made our voices heard so as to accompany the People in the electoral process. If is, in fact, the duty of the Catholic
Church to be engaged in this process to guarantee a transparent, free, fair and impartial election. It is about building trust and encouraging voters to turn out in large numbers.

4. The purpose of this letter is to help you rediscover the sense of politics; to provide clear guidelines for reflection and to enlighten your conscience so that you can make a free and
responsible choice. We would like to remind Christians in particular that true Christian faith and hope consist not only in beseeching God’s blessing, but also in working for justice and peace.

I. THE CHURCH’S ROLE IN POLITICS

5. Some of our fellow citizens find it surprising that the Catholic Church should take an interest in politics, for example by getting involved in democratic processes. They even complain that she is “interfering” in areas that are not her spheres of influence, since this same Church affirms that “The Church and the political Community in their own fields are autonomous and independent from each other”’.

6. Jesus’ assertion “give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar-and to God what belongs to God” (Lk 20:25) has been used by many to defend the aforementioned ‘interference’ argument, or simply to invoke the secular nature of the Cameroonian State. It has to be said that these words of Jesus may have sometimes provoked diverse interpretations! Some infer from it an opposition between Church and State. However, it seems to us, that, through his life and deeds, Jesus rather sought to make a distinction between two autonomous but simultaneously complementary realities, all working in pursuit of man’s common good. Indeed, “The mutual autonomy of the Church and the political community does not entail a separation that excludes cooperation. Both of them, although by different titles, serve the personal and social vocation of the same human beings. The Church and the political community, in fact, express themselves in organized structures that are not ends in themselves but are intended for the service of man, to help him to exercise his rights fully, those inherent in his reality as a citizen and a Christian, and to fulfil correctly his corresponding duties”.

7. As pastors, we cannot ignore the intimate connection between evangelization and human progress, and the inevitable social dimension of the proclamation of the Gospel, since in Christ
God redeems not only the individual but also social relations between people*. The Gospel therefore impels us to carry out a twofold pastoral task: to help people discover the truth and
choose the right path to follow; and to encourage Christians in their commitment to bear witness to the Gospel in the social sphere, with a view to service’. Through our social teaching,
we want to establish for the lay faithful a moral duty of consistency within their conscience, which is unique and one. In fact, the “tasks accompanying responsibilities in social and political
institutions demand a strict and articulated commitment that is able to demonstrate clearly the absolute necessity of the moral dimension in social and political life through thoughtful
contributions to the political debate, planning and the chosen actions. Inadequate attention to the moral dimension leads to the dehumanization of life in society and of social and political
institutions, thereby consolidating “structures of sin.

8. But as an institution, the Church maintains a certain reflective distance with regard to political action. As a matter fact, if the proper mission that Christ gave His Church is neither
political, economic nor social, but of a religious order, out of this religious mission itself come a function, a light and an energy which can serve to structure and consolidate the human
community according to the divine law. That is why She reserves the right to “pass moral judgment in those matters which regard public order when the fundamental rights of a person or the salvation of souls require it”’.

9. It is in this context and out of love for our country Cameroon, that we, as the Catholic Church, have been committed for some years now to the cause of free and fair elections, as well as to
the education of the people on the meaning and importance of voting in a democracy, through the observation-edification-proposal of a new electoral order in Cameroon. The Gospel that we
proclaim for the salvation of the world is incarnate, because it encompasses all aspects of life, including the so-called secular and mundane. Moreover, we believe that to receive the person
of Jesus can neither be confined to the strictly private nor to the extraterrestrial life; for Christ illuminates the person in all his relationships, responsibilities and activities in society. This
explains our close solidarity with social realities. Our commitment then, in the past as well as at this moment, is to contribute, through teaching and prayer, to a climate of peace, stability
and justice, for a peaceful, fair, free and transparent election in our country.

Ill. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHRISTIANS AND OTHER BELIEVERS

10. The Church invites the lay faithful to carry out their normal civic duties, guided by the light of their Christian conscience and in accordance with the values inherent to such conscience. In
this way, they also carry out their proper task of animating the temporal order in a Christian way, while respecting its proper nature and legitimate autonomy, and cooperating with other
citizens, according to their specific competence and responsibility®. It is the right and duty of everyone to participate in political life. And there is no reason why Christians should fail to
take an interest in politics. It is a wake-up call to them to not only denounce the problems, but to commit themselves with others to analyzing situations, discerning what is at stake, and
proposing concrete courses of action. Consequently, “the lay faithful are never to relinquish their participation in public life, that is, in the many different economic, social, legislative,
administrative and cultural areas, which are intended to promote organically and institutionally the common good”.

In this respect, for the lay faithful, politics is not interference but “is a worthy and demanding expression of the Christian commitment of service to others. The pursuit of the common good
in a spirit of service, the development of justice with particular attention to situations of poverty and suffering, respect for the autonomy of earthly realities, the principle of subsidiarity, the
promotion of dialogue and peace in the context of solidarity: these are the criteria that must inspire the Christian laity in their political activity”.

11. It is our modest submission that what has just been said equally applies to other believers, not only as people entitled to the rights and duties of citizenship, but also to those who have
direct and institutional tasks in the management of complex public issues, both in local administrations and in national institutions. Living and acting in politics in accordance with
one’s conscience does not mean giving into positions foreign to political commitment or to a form of confessionalism; rather, it is the way by which Christians and even believers in general,
make a coherent contribution to the establishment, through politics, of a social order that is more just and in keeping with the dignity of the human person’.

12. For the forthcoming elections, Christians need to draw inspiration from the Gospel and the Church’s social teaching, developed over the course of history, in order to respond as
effectively as possible to the new challenges of today’s world. We remind them that there is a Christian way of doing politics, while at the same time urging them to discern as Church what
is likely or not to help our country grow. To this end, there are fundamental principles, drawn from the Gospel message, that should help us discern; principles that we have been reiterating
for some years now, in the wake of elections’?. Furthermore, this year is also the Jubilee Year of Hope; that Hope, which is the hallmark of our Christian faith and one which must always
inspire our approach to the lives of individuals and society as a whole.

IV. THE DUTY TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS

13. The context of insecurity that we highlighted in our Pastoral Letter of 24 August 2018 has certainly seen some positive signs; however, numerous pockets of resistance from certain
armed militias in the Far North, North-West and South-West regions could well jeopardize the climate of peace that is essential for elections to run smoothly. In addition, migration, the high
cost of living, urban criminality, tribalism, hate speech and acts, bigotry, juvenile delinquency and widespread unemployment are all situations that could well adversely affect the peaceful,
serene and fair conduct of the elections in our country.

14, To justify their non-participation in elections, some citizens may be inclined to invoke what Pope Francis calls ‘political vices’ such as “corruption in its varied forms: the misappropriation
of public resources, the exploitation of individuals, the denial of rights, the flouting of community rules, dishonest gain, the justification of power by force or the arbitrary appeal
to raison d’état…, to name but a few. On the strength of these same evils, some fellow citizens have argued that few candidates, if any, inspire any degree of confidence; so the
question being posed now is not “Who should I vote for?” but “Is it even of any value to go and vote?” Doubts about the legitimacy of the candidates are compounded by the problems
most often decried at almost every presidential election in Cameroon: violence during the campaigns (some candidates not being welcome in certain constituencies); post-election violence triggered by disputes over the official results; fiddling with electoral registers, vote- buying, and, in some constituencies, destruction of ballot papers. Some voters feel that voting
in these conditions, without tackling the endemic corruption, is simply perpetuating the status quo.

15. We would like to recall that every democracy requires participation and commitment. In our Letter on the “right and duty to vote” (2004)’*, we pointed out that voting is not only a right
for every citizen who meets the conditions, but also a duty that he or she has a moral obligation to discharge. Hence the need for all citizens to be involved in elections as befits a true
democracy. This right, which is conferred by our country’s Constitution, gives every voter equal power and voice’’, regardless of their social status, intellectual level, age (at least 20),
sex, religious adherence or their physical and intellectual aptitudes. In other words, this means that the vote of every citizen of voting age counts, because there is no difference between
voters.

Indeed, “elections represent a platform for the expression of a people’s political decisions, and they are a sign of legitimacy for the exercise of power. They provide a privileged opportunity
for healthy and serene public political debate, marked by respect for different opinions and different political groupings’’’®.

16. In the light of our foregone considerations, despite all the prevailing difficulties, we invite Catholic Christians and all Cameroonians of good will, as we did in 2018, to exercise their duty
and right to vote instead of resigning themselves to indifference driven by despair, fear and prejudices according to which the election results are a foregone conclusion. Elections also
help to preserve stability and ensure that constitutional terms of office are respected. They should therefore be seen as a historic opportunity to carry out significant reforms. Where there
is transparency, the verdict of the ballot can demonstrate the will to address, for example, the obstacles that constitute a real stumbling block to development, such as systemic corruption in politics, corruption in general and impunity.

V. WHO IS REQUIRED TO VOTE?

17. The duty to vote is incumbent on all citizens of Cameroon, and it consists of registering on the electoral roll and casting one’s vote. We would like to renew our appeal to all eligible voters to exercise their civic responsibilities in the upcoming presidential and regional elections by taking an active part in them.

18. The duty to vote also applies to groups such as political parties. But. what is more, political parties, in this election year, “have the task of fostering widespread participation and making
public responsibilities accessible to all. Political parties are called to interpret the aspirations of civil society, orienting them towards the common good, offering citizens the effective
possibility of contributing to the formulation of political choices”’’. To this end, they must be democratic in their internal structure, capable of political synthesis and strategic planning.

19. The duty to vote belongs to civil society as a whole. It is known that the political community is essentially constituted to be at the service of the civil society from which it springs and, in
the final analysis, at the service of the persons and groups of which civil society is composed. The term ‘civil society’ is generally used to describe “the sum of relationships and resources,
cultural and associative, that are relatively independent from the political sphere and the economic sector. ‘The purpose of civil society is universal, since it concerns the common good,
to which each and every citizen has a right in due proportion”’’. Thus civil society is not to be seen as an appendix or a variable extension of the political community: on the contrary, it
enjoys pre-eminence because, once again, it is in the civil society itself that the existence of the political community finds its justification.

VI. WHY RUN FOR OFFICE AND WHY GET ELECTED?

20. According to Pope Francis, “the thirst for power at any cost leads to abuse and injustice. Politics is an essential means for promoting citizenship and human endeavors, but when
political life is not seen as a form of service to society as a whole, it can become a means of oppression, marginalization and even destruction”. But on the contrary, “If exercised with basic
respect for the life, freedom and dignity of persons, political life can indeed become an outstanding form of charity”’°. To further develop this idea, the Pope quotes his predecessor
Pope Benedict XVI, who writes: “Every Christian is called to practice charity in a manner corresponding to his vocation and according to the degree of influence he wields in the polis… When animated by charity, commitment to the common good has greater worth than a merely secular and political stand would have […] Man’s earthly activity, when inspired and sustained
by charity, contributes to the building of the universal city of God, which is the goal of the history of the human family”

21. In view of the upcoming elections, we believe that it is of utmost importance to draw your attention to this very soul searching question which is primarily addressed to those who will present themselves as candidates in the presidential and regional elections: Why do you want Cameroonians to cast their vote for you for the desired office? It seems to us that the answer

to this question cannot be limited to the superficial rendition of political manifestos, development programs or just another new vision, but must rather seek to place at the very
heart of our political commitment the all-important motivation of sacrificial service that should inspire, sustain and define anyone who desires to be trusted with a major leadership
responsibility in our Country. In other words, just as Jesus declared that it is not enough to say Lord, Lord, to enter the Kingdom (cf. Mt 7:21), so too the Cameroonian of today is hungry, not
for speeches, but for concrete actions, so that anyone who seeks public office must be inspired by a deep and unwavering passion, conviction, desire and will to serve. “To accomplish this requires a full-scale battle and a determination to overcome every temptation, such as the recourse to disloyalty and to falsehood, the waste of public funds for the advantage of a few
and those with special interests, and the use of ambiguous and illicit means for acquiring, maintaining and increasing power at any cost.””!

22. In a word, those who hold political office or aspire to do so “must not forget or underestimate the moral dimension of political representation, which consists in the commitment to share fully in the destiny of the people and to seek solutions to social problems. In this perspective, responsible authority also means authority exercised with those virtues that make it possible to put power into practice as service (patience, modesty, moderation, charity, efforts to share), an authority exercised by persons who are able to accept the common good, and not prestige or the gaining of personal advantages, as the true goal of their work”.

VII HOW AND WHO TO VOTE FOR?

23. Voting is a way of showing your love for your country, especially when it concerns a presidential election. We therefore urge you to perform your civic duty conscientiously, to exercise your civic right responsibly, and not because of any selfish interest. You will do so, each of you, based on your analyses of the programs, where they exist, and your political convictions. It is about serving the common good of our society, meeting the needs of our country now and in the future; looking for ways and means of fostering and strengthening social cohesion, an economy that serves people in a sustainable way, a policy that cares for the poor or the most vulnerable, for the younger generations, in order to lay the foundations for the future, for respect for life from its conception to its natural end, for the family as the foundation of the human society, for hospitality towards foreigners, migrants, or to those of other faiths, transcending individual interests to seek the common good, for nature, openness to the world and the fair distribution of resources. These guidelines given to us by the Gospel are meant to enlighten you, in order to ensure that the political choices you will make are well thought-out, that is to say, the fruit of a profound process of discernment. To achieve this, to be truly free and to choose conscientiously, requires taking a step back and gaining perspective, freeing oneself from all pressure, dictates, image harassment, and the exclusives of media domination. In the same vein, it will be necessary to avoid the vote-buying
syndrome.

24. In the light of our foregone considerations, We invite all Cameroonians, as we did in our 2018 Pastoral Letter, to vote for honest and responsible leaders. The choice of a candidate, his moral, intellectual, human, spiritual and managerial qualities, should therefore be made after careful discernment, in all conscience. The reason behind this is that “authentic political life, grounded in law and in frank and fair relations between individuals, experiences renewal whenever we are convinced that every woman, man and generation brings the promise of new relational, intellectual, cultural and spiritual energies”’. We reiterate here the fundamental principles of good governance that Pope Francis addressed in his homily on September 16, 2013 at the Casa Santa Marta. He reminded those in positions of power, heads of state and anyone else called upon to govern, that love and humility are the two cardinal virtues of their service: “You cannot govern without love and humility towards the people! Thus every man or every woman who assumes the responsibility of governing should ask himself or herself these two questions: Do I love my people, so that I may better serve them? And am I humble enough to hear the opinions of others so as to choose the best
way of governing?”

From the aforementioned homily emerge the following qualities, which are required for anyone who wishes to govern our country:

1. Integrity, humility, modesty and moral leadership

– Demonstrate integrity, honesty and transparency in his actions, decisions and conduct;
– Setting an example in matters of ethics and responsibility;

– Humble and modest, recognizing the limits of his power and the errors he may commit;
– Free from any conflict of interest and not using his power to enrich himself personally or to exploit his people.
2. Vision and strategy

– Have a clear vision for the country’s development;

– Be able to define a coherent strategy to achieve it;

– Be able to mobilize the population around this vision;

– Bea leader who inspires confidence and knows how to take difficult decisions.

3. Effective Economic Management
– Being able to manage the economy wisely, promoting economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction;
– Promoting transparency in the management of public resources.

– Work for national unity and cohesion by curbing ethnic and regional tensions and ensuring fair representation of all regions;

– Bea protagonist in national reconciliation and unity;

– Have a good knowledge of the country, its regions, cultures, and people;

– Be capable of travelling the length and breadth of the country, visiting each region at least once during his term of office;

– Be able to understand the needs and expectations of Cameroonians.

5. Ability to listen and engage in dialogue

– Ability to listen to the various stakeholders in civil society, political parties, trade unions, etc.;

– Being open to dialogue and consultation in order to take decisions that meet the expectations of the population;

– Be a tolerant and open-minded person, capable of understanding and respecting the differences and diversities that characterize Cameroon.

6. Respect for the rule of law and freedoms

– Guaranteeing respect for and promotion of the rule of law, fundamental freedoms and human rights;
– Ensuring the independence and effective functioning of democratic institutions;

– Ensuring that the voices of all communities are heard;
– Respect for the institutions of the State, such as Parliament, the Judiciary, etc. He must also respect the laws and regulations in force, with particular reference to the

Bishops of Cameroon

Constitution.
7. Fight against corruption

– Firmly tackle corruption at all levels of public administration, by putting in place
effective control and sanction mechanisms without discrimination or targeting.

8. Crisis management skills

– Ability to manage crisis and conflicts in a highly professional manner, taking rapid and appropriate decisions to protect the interests of the country and its people.

9, Improve public services

– Commit to improving the quality of public services such as health, education and
infrastructure, with a focus on ensuring equity and accessibility to all citizens.
10. Diplomacy and international relations

– Ability to represent Cameroon with dignity on the international stage by maintaining
beneficial cooperative relationships with other countries;
– Have the relevant competence and experience in fields such as politics, economics, diplomacy, etc.

VIII. THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR ELECTIONS

25. The electoral process in Cameroon is governed by the Constitution and the 2012 Electoral Code?’. Despite this legal framework, the opposition parties and civil society in our country continue to criticize the electoral process for its lack of transparency, justice and fairness. In addition to their various demands, they are constantly calling for the current Electoral Code to be revised. We ourselves have long been insisting on reform of the system of elections and campaign financing, although we are aware that even if reforms were passed immediately, they would not come into force in time to have an impact on this year’s elections. We would stress that it is normal for the search for a consensus to begin with the introduction of a code of good conduct, which is already gradually becoming established in the democratic practices of States. The code of good conduct for elections can be understood as a series of behavioral standards drawn up and adopted by all the parties involved in an electoral process and aimed at helping to create conditions conducive to the organization of fair, free, credible and transparent elections, and to the acceptance of the election results by all.

26. Furthermore, for greater a representation, we would like to see and pray for an end to the conflicts in the Far North, North West and South West regions, which are limiting the participation of many Cameroonians in the electoral process. We also need to ensure respect for the free expression and development of political parties in Cameroon, to encourage a genuine national debate without prejudice or personal ambition, in order to bring about a free, transparent, fair and equitable election.

IX. MEDIA AND SOCIAL NETWORKS

27. “Information is among the principal instruments of democratic participation. Participation without an understanding of the situation of the political community, the facts and the proposed solutions to problems is unthinkable. It is necessary to guarantee a real pluralism in this delicate area of social life, ensuring that there are many forms and instruments of information and communications. It is likewise necessary to facilitate Conditions of equality in the possession and use of these instruments by means of appropriate laws. Among the obstacles that hinder the full exercise of the right to objectivity in information, special attention must be given to the phenomenon of the news media being controlled by just a few people or groups. This has
dangerous effects for the entire democratic system when this phenomenon is accompanied by ever closer ties between governmental activity and the financial and information establishments.”? “The information provided by the media is at the service of the common good. Society has a right to information based on truth, freedom, justice and solidarity”.”’

28. We recognize the important role that the media play in elections and electoral contests. This role is crucial in the reporting of elections and in the shaping of public opinion. On the one hand, the media provide coverage of candidates, parties and contentious issues in elections; on the other hand, they enable candidates and parties to advertise themselves and their programs. A diversified media landscape is therefore an important prerequisite for the public to be able to obtain information about elections and electoral contests from a variety of reliable sources. Without reliable and diversified information, and without a variety of opinions, a free and objective choice would not be possible. Some – especially digital – media exist, it would seem, for disinformation or defamation; they make hate speech and tribalistic language their business, and they seem to be well placed to do so. We urge the National Communications Council (NCC) to be more vigilant. Needless to mention the 24 November 2019 law, which punishes hate speech and slogans based on tribalism’*. As we stated in our Message of Buea, “men and women of the media must be competent; distinguished by their expertise and the quality of the information they broadcast, as well as by their ability to resist pressures that run counter to their professional ethics’.

X. THE MISSION OF THE EPISCOPAL COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE

29. As in the past, the Catholic Church will accompany the electoral process through one of its institutions, the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace. It will carry out its role of monitoring the electoral process through education, Christian observation of the elections and the peaceful prevention of election-related violence. In these months leading up to the elections, we invite all Catholic Christians, through the National Service for Justice and Peace and the various diocesan commissions for Justice and Peace, to:

– Carry out activities or civic workshops to promote civic participation, political awareness and the election of competent, honest and responsible candidates;

– Live the community dimension of the Church, by being present at liturgical celebrations and diligent to the teachings of their respective pastors;

– Work for and with the young people and children of our parishes, who are the present and future of society and the Church, and who therefore need pastoral attention:

– Carry out diocesan and parish awareness-raising, education and prayer activities, including via social networks.

30. With regard to the elections proper, we call on ‘all the parties involved in the current electoral process to work effectively to ensure that the elections are conducted in peace, transparency and justice, because respect for the rights of voters and their wishes is a guarantee for safeguarding unity, social cohesion and lasting peace in the country.

XI. ELECTORAL SECURITY

31. We appeal to our compatriots, in this year when we go to the polls to fulfill our civic duty, that we may all work harder than ever to put aside our swords of hatred, anger, bitterness, quarrels, and murder, and reach out to each other in peace. Today, the sword of hatred can take the form of multiple registrations, multiple votes, the presence of “thugs” who intimidate and steal ballot boxes, using digital media to write and spread information capable of harming our social cohesion and therefore peace. Without security, Cameroonians will not risk their lives by going out to vote. Every human life is sacred and must be protected. It is everyone’s duty to ensure that the sanctity of human life is preserved before, during, and after the upcoming elections. We call on the competent authorities of the Republic to use their powers to prevent electoral insecurity and ensure a favorable environment, free from fear and intimidation. It is the responsibility of all Cameroonians to work for peaceful elections.

XII. CONCLUSION

32. In our recent Message at Buea, we noted that our country has made and continues to make strides towards progress. However, we must not ignore the fact that our problem is essentially the well-being of our citizens, which is hampered by corruption. Corruption is a veritable obstacle, as it renders the State incapable of fully fulfilling its mission of creating the common good. However, we believe that we must see this reality from the perspective of faith and hope, and we call on everyone to work towards a better future through the conversion of our mentalities. As we approach the next elections, we would like to point out that the proper functioning of the State and of democracy depends on the impartiality of the constitutional order and of the bodies through which it is expressed, as well as on the subordinate and ordinary laws that govern its operation and that of society as a whole.

33. At the same time, our commitment as citizens should not be limited to dropping a ballot paper into a ballot box. More than just the act of casting a ballot, we need to make a long-term undertaking to respond to the questions we face; responses that are relevant to the different situations in our country. With this commitment in mind, we offer this Letter to all our fellow citizens to enlighten our consciences at the time of voting, and also to enable us to discern the paths along which we must commit ourselves, with patience and fidelity.

34. We appeal to all citizens who practice a religion, whether or not you belong to a political entity of the State, to engage in the public sphere with a moral and ethical sense.

35. For those of you who work in the private sector, we urge you t0 Carry Out Your duties guided by a sense of morality in your conduct and your work.

36. To all those citizens who do not practice any religion, we ask you to be mindful of the fact that the ethical and moral responsibility of your actions also contributes to the creation of a prosperous and inclusive society.

37. Finally, we encourage all citizens of Cameroon not to lose hope in building peace through justice in our nation; God calls us to uphold justice, to defend human life and its dignity, especially of the most vulnerable, in all places and circumstances.

38. If God does not himself build our common home, Cameroon, we will be laboring in vain. Let us therefore implore the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness and Guardian of this Cradle of our ancestors, and Queen of Peace, that God may look upon this country he has given us to live in; that he may help us all to seek the common good, and that those who govern us may do so wisely. Finally, let us ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate our discernment in the face of the choices we will have to make, come October, and to fraternally encourage each other in hope.

Given at Yaounde, on March 28, 2025, the third Friday of Lent.

The Bishops of Cameroon

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