Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa

The Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (CERNA) (French: Conférence Episcopale Régionale du Nord de l'Afrique or Conférence des Evêques de la Région Nord de l’Afrique) is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara. Founded in 1965, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic hierarchy (i.e., diocesan, coadjutor, and auxiliary bishops) in those countries. The conference is based in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. The current President is Cristóbal López Romero, the Archbishop of Rabat.[1]

Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa
AbbreviationCERNA
Formation1966
TypeNGO
Legal statusCivil nonprofit
PurposeTo support the ministry of bishops
HeadquartersRabat, Morocco
Region served
Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara
Membership
Active and retired Catholic bishops of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara
President
Cristóbal López Romero SDB,
Main organ
Conference

History

The Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa was founded in 1966, with Archbishop of Algiers Cardinal Léon-Étienne Duval as its first president.[1]

On 8 June 2007, members of the conference were received by Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City.[2] The five bishops present were Maroun Elias Nimeh Lahham, Claude Rault, Gabriel Piroird, Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, and Alphonse Georger.[2]

From October 6–9, 2013, the Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa met in Rome.[3] The bishops resided at the Pontifical French Seminary and met there to discuss issues facing the bishops' respective countries and dioceses.[3] The trip ended on October 9, when the bishops went to St. Peter's Square to hear Pope Francis' public address. Francis personally addressed the bishops from North Africa, calling for them to "consolidate our fraternal relations with Muslims."[3]

Member dioceses
Diocese Current prelate Country
Archdiocese of Algiers Jean-Paul Vesco, OP  Algeria
Apostolic Vicariate of Benghazi Sandro Overend RigilloOFM  Libya
Diocese of Constantine Nicolas Lhernould  Algeria
Apostolic Vicariate of Derna Sede vacante  Libya
Diocese of Laghouat John MacWilliam, MAfr  Algeria
Apostolic Prefecture of Misurata Sede vacante  Libya
Diocese of Oran Jean-Paul Vesco, OP  Algeria
Archdiocese of Rabat Cristóbal López Romero, SDB  Morocco
Archdiocese of Tanger Santiago Agrelo Martínez, OFM  Morocco
Archdiocese of Tunis Ilario Antoniazzi  Tunisia
Apostolic Vicariate of Tripoli George Bugeja, OFM  Libya
Apostolic Prefecture of Western Sahara Mario León Dorado, OMI  Western Sahara

Presidents

This is a list of the Presidents of the Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa:[1]

# Image President See Term
1 Cardinal Léon-Étienne Duval Algiers 1966–1983
2 Bishop Henri Teissier Algiers 1983–2004
3 Archbishop Fouad Twal Tunis 2004–2005
4 Archbishop Vincent Landel, SCI di Béth Rabat October 2005 – January 2012
5 Archbishop Maroun Elias Nimeh Lahham Tunis January 2012 – November 2012
6 Archbishop Vincent Landel, SCI di Béth Rabat November 2012 – 2015
7 Archbishop Paul Desfarges, SJ Algiers 2015 – 2022
8 Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, SDB Rabat 2022 –

See also

References
  1. "Conférence Episcopale Régionale du Nord de l'Afrique (C.E.R.N.A.)". GCatholic. Retrieved 2017-06-20.
  2. "Viste ad limina de la Conférence Episcopale de l'Afrique du Nord". www.africamission-mafr.org. Retrieved 2017-06-20.
  3. admin (2013-10-10). "CONFERENCE DES EVEQUES DE LA REGION NORD DE L'AFRIQUE (CERNA)". France Catholique (in French). Retrieved 2017-06-20.
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