KENYA: Church in Africa Evangelizing through SCCs
Group Photo of the Participants of the Pan-African Meeting on Small Christian Communities
By Rose Achiego, Waumini Communications KCCB
Strengthening and networking of Small Christian Communities (SCCs) in Africa and beyond can be a major contribution of the African Church to the World.
Meeting on Small Christian Communities
Small Christian Communities is focused on “Christians coming together for prayer, scripture reading, catechesis and discussion on human and ecclesial issues with a view to a common commitment. These communities are a sign of vitality within the Church, an instrument of formation and evangelization, and a solid starting point for a new society based on the ‘civilization of love.'” (Pope John Paul II)
In an interview with the Auxiliary Bishop of Bukoba Diocese in Tanzania Rt. Rev. Methodius Kilaini during the third Pan-African meeting in Nairobi early this week, said that the idea of SCCs started in Zaire in 1961, after the II Vatican Council explained the Church as a family of God.
Bishop kilaini also said that the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) countries embraced the idea in 1973 and made it official in 1976 after which different Conferences in Africa started rolling out the program in the Dioceses and Parishes.
Auxiliary Bishop of Bukoba
The Bishop of Bukoba who has ten years of experience in planning of the activities of the Small Christian Communities from the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) is now focused on networking the SCCs to enhance evangelization throughout the World.
“We are meeting to make the program more systematic by creating social media platforms such as WhatsApp groups, websites, blogs and Facebook to help interact, exchange ideas and share experiences with the World.” He said, adding that the Catholic faithful in Germany have already shown interest and the next focus will be in Europe.
The one week meeting that brought together 16 participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Germany and Democratic Republic of Congo, was funded by Missio.
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