African Bishops Discuss Polygamy Document
At their plenary assembly in Kigali, Rwanda, from 30 July to 4 August, the African bishops discussed a document about the 'Accompaniment of Persons in Polygamous Situations' (see French document below).
In May 2024, the African bishops' conference (SECAM) formed a commission to study polygamy and prepare a pastoral response until July 2025.
In October 2024, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo (President of SECAM) presented a four-phase plan. This began with an expert study, followed by feedback of the bishops, plenary adoption, and finally submission to the Vatican.
On 23 July, TanzaniaTimes.net wrote that "polygamous marriages were to drive" the assembly's agenda in Kigali.
On 2 August, VaticanNews.va reported that the bishops had discussed the issue of polygamy and that Vatican theologians have already contributed to the document.
No Sacraments, No Blessings
The document shifts from excluding polygamous sinners to offering "graduated pastoral statuses".
It introduces a new canonical-pastoral …More
Key Points
Cultural and Legal Context:
Polygamy remains common and socially accepted in many African societies, with 31 countries legally recognizing it.
Motivations include clan-based structures, economic needs, prestige, and the avoidance of divorce or social marginalization.
Modernity and globalization have not diminished the practice; instead, it has adapted and persists.
The issue intersects with emerging global trends like polyamory.
Biblical & Theological View:
The Old Testament records polygamy, but monogamy is upheld as the ideal in creation and covenant theology.
Jesus’ teaching reaffirms one-man, one-woman marriage as God’s original design.
The Church’s role is to guide polygamous individuals towards this ideal without compromising Gospel truth.
Pastoral Practices Discussed (Not Endorsed):
Choosing one wife (usually the first or “favorite”) for a monogamous sacramental marriage, while providing for others.
Permanent catechumen status for polygamists who cannot leave their unions — included in community life but without baptism.
Baptizing only the first wife, treating her as a victim of later unions.
Tolerating “veiled polygamy” (e.g., informal relationships) while focusing on individual catechesis.
Canonical Challenges:
Current canon law (Canon 1148) allows a converting polygamist to choose one wife, with care for the others.
In Africa, this can create injustices — e.g., abandoning a first wife for a younger “Christian” marriage.
The bishops call for theological reevaluation that better accounts for African marriage customs and the rights of women and children.
Pastoral Tension:
The Church must balance accompaniment with the uncompromising proclamation of the Gospel.
Integration into the Christian community may be partial: first wives and children could receive sacraments, while the polygamist lives in penitence and hope for full inclusion.
Authentic evangelization involves cultural “incarnation, confrontation, and transformation” — preserving what is good while letting harmful elements die.
I guarantee that when Archbishop Lefebvre was a missionary in Africa, he didn’t sugarcoat anything and let people know that polygamy is a sin. These men are cowards!
For someone who is steeped in mortal sin, whose life is patterned (wrongly) after a pattern conceived and born in sin, is it realistic to insist a "cold turkey" instantaneous transformation to a holy life?
Of course, barring miraculous divine intervention, that is impossible, especially in a case where one has "extra" wives who must be "disposed of" in some sort of way that also invites them into the Church. This could never realistically be a situation where the Church says: "go away, come back after you life is clean".
It is incumbent upon the episcopacy, however flawed they may be, to work to charitably bring souls to salvation. Isn't clarifying a path to salvation for a lost soul infinitely better than a closed door, to be pried open only after the impossible task of rectifying one's life without the assistance of the Church?
If a person is only an animal programmed by experience and culture, your point would make sense. The Church, by contrast, believes that each person has a soul which indeed can give up all and “follow him”. The Church asks nothing which is impossible.
One does not have to abandon wives and children to avoid sin. A Josephat marriage would continue to provide care for wives and children while opening the confessional and sacraments to husband and wives alike. It will require virtue, but virtue is both the means and the goal of the Catholic life.
The church’s door is not closed, but joining the church means becoming part of the body of Christ. It requires shedding anything which is offensive to Christ. The episcopacy, in true charity, calls the sinner to do the difficult task of turning from sin. The path to salvation is only through the surrender of all for Christ. An episcopacy who asks anything less of the people must be asking less than full membership in the Body of Christ for themselves. It will not go well for them in the judgement. Pray for their souls daily.
It is unfortunate that a permenant catechumen receives no forgiveness of sins and no grace of baptism. He cannot claim "baptism of desire" if he accepts status which has no intention of receiving baptism. Also, the attendance at mass of the polygamist will scandalize the baptized faithful. So, the first law of the church changes from the salvation of souls to "todos, todos, todos". Before saying, "narrow is the road and few who find it," Jesus should have spoken to these theologians. He would have realized, there is no road, no need for repentance, no need for reparation. Pray daily for these false shepherds. They are in great peril.
It must be presumed that these 'shepherds' are equating St. Paul's justification of Gentiles not needing to be circumcised with polygamy in this case ' for the sake of inclusion' no doubt. But the rationales of each are poles apart. Not being circumcised was not considered a sin, while polygamy, which goes against Jesus'teachings about marriage, would be. One should never accompany anyone in their sinfulness as these 'shepherds' appear to be suggesting. This is heresy.
@P. O'B The document should be named “Fiducia multiplicans” as FS literally proposes non-sacramental integration.