Notre-Dame des Victoires de Dakar Cathedral welcomed this solemn installation ceremony of Mgr André Guèye this Saturday, May 3, 2025 at the head of the Archdiocese of Dakar. A highlight for the Senegalese Catholic Church, which sees a new page opening under the leadership of a prelate recognized for its integrity, its rigor and its commitment to interreligious dialogue.
Appointed last February by the late Pope Francis, Monsignor André Guèye becomes the fifth archbishop of Dakar. His enthronement marks the culmination of an ecclesiastical journey over thirty, dotted with pastoral responsibilities, lessons and peace missions. The one who now presides over the destinies of the Catholic Church of Senegal has committed, in his first words, to be “listening to the faithful” and to work for unity, while soliciting the prayers and the support of all.
Born January 6, 1967 in Pallo Youga, in the Thiès region, André Guèye was very early on to the Catholic faith. Called at Notre-Dame de l’Assumption church in Mont-Rolland, he made his primary cycle at the Catholic school of this same locality between 1973 and 1979. His path to the priesthood then led him to the Saint-Joseph seminar in Ngazobil, then to the Saint-Gabriel college in Thiès, where he continued his religious training.
In 1986, he entered the Grand Seminary Libermann in Sébikotane, before continuing the philosophy cycle in Djibélor. Brilliant student, he was admitted in 1988 to Pontifical College Urbaniana in Rome for studies in theology, sanctioned by a canonical baccalaureate.
Ordained a priest on June 27, 1992 by Mgr Jacques Sarr in Thiès, he began his ministry as vicar in Bambey, then at the parish of Sainte-Anne de Thiès. His quest to know how to bring him to the University of Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar where he won a master’s degree in philosophy, then a DEA.
-Bishop Guèye has long exercised in the diocese of Thiès, a region marked by the harmonious cohabitation between Christians and Muslims. For twelve years, he sowed the seeds of living together and mutual respect. Professor of philosophy at the great seminar of Brin and specialist of Edith Stein – Jewish philosopher converted to Catholicism – he embodies a figure of the believer intellectual, deeply anchored in ethical and spiritual reflection.
In 2012, he was appointed bishop of Thiès, before becoming Archbishop of Dakar in 2025. Its mission promises to be both demanding and carrying hope, in a context of social and spiritual transformation.
What distinguishes Mgr Guèye particularly is his commitment to social cohesion. His twelve year mission at the head of a diocese largely surrounded by Muslim communities makes it a key player in interreligious dialogue. This experience allowed him to cultivate an open and inclusive approach, advocating a peaceful coexistence between the different religious communities of the country.
During his installation, Mgr Guèye expressed his desire to be a listening man, close to the faithful, and called for spiritual support and the prayer of the community to succeed in his mission. His vision of the Church is that of an institution rooted in the social realities of Senegal, capable of responding to spiritual and societal challenges while remaining faithful to evangelical values.
The challenge of Mgr André Guèye is immense, but his career and his commitment bear witness to the depth of his vocation. His taking office at the head of the Archdiocese of Dakar opens a new chapter for the Church in the country. With a clear call for prayer and solidarity of the Catholic community, Mgr Guèye intends to consolidate social ties while preserving the unity and integrity of the Church in the face of contemporary challenges.
