KENYA: ACWECA launches a Strategic Plan

Joyfulness and pomps marked the occasion of the launch of The Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) Strategic plan at Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

During the Eucharistic celebrations which preceded the launching ceremony, His Excellency Archbishop Alain Paul Lebeaupin, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya reminded the Sisters that they are not the first association to develop a Strategic Plan and that having a strategic plan is not just about having a beautiful piece of paper with lots of resolutions; but it is about what defining reason for what we wants to do, why we want to do it and how we are going to do it.

“Developing a strategic plan is one thing while carrying out the mandate is the greatest challenge, which we must be ready to battle with;” said the nuncio adding that “This strategic plan whose vision is to provide a solid holistic formation for religious women for authentic witness to the world is a bench mark of what we want to do. It is therefore important that all of us become conscious of our responsibilities and role in the society while being inspired with the rich social teaching of the church.”

The nuncio further appealed to the Sisters and the association as a whole to intensify their services especially in South Sudan where the church has been experiencing lots of challenges.

Speaking during the same ceremony, a representative of Catholic Women Association urged the sisters not to feel lonely in their services but to consider the lay women as their mothers who are ready to give them support whenever they might need it.

At the same time, a representative of Catholic Men Association from Kenya Mr. Mwangi Kagunda applauded the association’s move to come up with a strategic plan terming it a bold move. Mr. Kagunda who spoke on behalf of Catholic Men Association during the ceremony said that the challenges that the sisters are going to face during the implementation of their strategic plan are meant to strengthen their abilities.

According to Sr. Teresa Nyoni who represented the Zambia Association of Sisters, the Strategic plan gives them a sense of direction, focus and purpose. It also gives guidance to living their mandate for the year 2012 – 2016, which calls for an identity rooted in Jesus Christ, a challenge for formation and mission. Other than that, the Association of Sisters in Zambia hopes to find from this particular strategic plan fresh ways to live their consecrated lives in today’s world. In addition, the strategic plan is expected to unite the region, offer one voice and help the consecrated women make a difference in Africa.

Sr. Prudentiana Kirungo, who represented the Tanzania Association of sisters, said that the strategic plan is meant to care and support the work of religious women who are actively present in the ACWECA Region. “The plan will help us to measure the period of our ministry in terms of progress, challenges and impact of our services to humanity,” she added. The plan will also give them focus on where they intend to reach through various ministries and social services to the needy people and also be a reminder to her and her association in Tanzania to carry out social and pastoral activities in her beloved country guided by the vision and mission of ACWECA.

“Without the strategic plan, it will be very difficult for the association in each member country and for ACWECA to coordinate and organize its activities,” Sr. Prudentiana elaborated adding that “The strategic plan is needed to develop and strengthen the formation and education of women religious while advocating for justice and peace and fostering self- sustenance and effective leadership models in the region.”

According to Sr. Regina who represented both Sudan and South Sudan Association of Sisters, they needed the Strategic Plan for the concrete steps that they intend to take in their service to the people of Sudan; “This plan is a sign of great commitment of ACWECA Region towards consecrated life. It is a visible outcome of our passion and commitment towards achieving our goals as consecrated women in Africa and it is my sincere belief that it will definitely guide us towards achieving our vision especially in both Sudan and South Sudan where we have many challenges.” She added that they needed the plan to act as a directive for their work and to become more effective in their service delivery to the people they serve.

Most Rev. Tarcisio Ziyaye, Archbishop of Blantyre, Malawi; Chairman of AMECEA and Chancellor of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa who attended the ceremony thanked all the Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa for their efforts they have made in ensuring that the concerns of the Church in the region are efficiently attended to.

 “This occasion gives us a wonderful opportunity to give our sincere gratitude to Almighty God for the gift of Consecrated Life to the Church as a witness to the entire humanity. Indeed we must encourage and praise the consecrated women in Eastern and Central Africa who, in their monasteries, convents and the different areas where they carry out their apostolate, adorn the Church by their unswerving and humble faithfulness in their chosen consecration and render services of all kinds to mankind,” the Archbishop said; adding that a Strategic Plan is ordinarily a document that articulates the shared Vision, Mission, Core Values and Objectives of a certain group of people. It also outlines the strategies to be put in place in order to implement all these.

His Grace Archbishop Ziyaye challenged the leadership of ACWECA and all consecrated women in the region to reflect more on the leadership of Christ the Good Shepherd as reflected in the Gospel according to John (cf. Jn. 10: 1- 18). “This kind of leadership shall make you to sacrifice for what God has called you to do; it will make you women, yes consecrated women who are dedicated to bring life and joy to the world.” He urged the sisters not to loose focus of the ultimate purpose of their call, which is, salvation.

“In the same way, the five years that you are ushering in with the launch of this strategic plan should enable you to realize what true renewal means among consecrated women,” he challenged ACWECA Members.

The Archbishop also talked about the risk of consecrated women working for their Institutes without paying attention to the concerns of the Church. “In order to fight these temptations, I challenge the leadership of ACWECA to take it as a priority to help all consecrated women in this region to embrace the true spirit of renewal by listening to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who is the primary agent of renewal and adapting the true spirit of being part of the Universal Church and the Local Church where they all live and carry out their various apostolate.” He urged them to be in communion with the Holy Father and with the Local Ordinaries of the Dioceses where they live and work saying that in this way they will never lack the guidance that is necessary for true renewal.

Training sisters in formation and continuous upgrading of skills is one of the goals set in the ACWECA Strategic plan. Archbishop Ziyaye urged the sisters to take into account the fact that many girls who are admitted to consecrated life are from public schools and therefore may lack the basic Christian formation that is necessary for consecrated life. Solid formation therefore presupposes that those who accompany such girls must be well disposed and prepared.

Archbishop Ziyaye on behalf of all Episcopal Conferences that make part of AMECEA assured the ACWECA Members of prayers, collaboration and guidance throughout their endeavours. “I take this opportunity to renew our esteem for the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa and sincerely thank you for what you have accomplished in witnessing to the Gospel values.”

He also thanked the Governments in the AMECEA region for having provided have always provided favourable environment to work in as a Church.

The Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) is an Association of Sister Associations comprising of nine (9) national sisterhood Associations drawn from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

The vision of ACWECA is to have spirit filled women religious with solid holistic formation for authentic witness to the world. Its mission is to empower women religious in living a consecrated life.