AMECEA: Rev. Fr. Joseph Healey Celebrates 49 Years of Solidarity with AMECEA
(From Left) Rev. Fr. Ferdinand Lugonzo, Secretary General AMECEA, Rt. Rev. Moses Hamungole, Bishop of Monze, Zambia Rt. Fr. Joe Healey, MM and Rev. Fr. Chrisantus Ndaga, Secretary AMECEA Social Communications Department
Rt. Rev. Moses Hamungole, Bishop of Monze, Zambia
Rt. Fr. Joe Healey, MM and Rev. Fr. Chrisantus Ndaga,
Secretary AMECEA Social Communications Department
AMECEA Secretariat on February 8, held a thanksgiving celebration in honour of Rev. Fr. Joseph Healey; the First Social Communications Secretary of AMECEA Social Communications Department, an event, which took place at AMECEA Secretariat in Nairobi.
The event started with the Eucharistic celebration, which was led by Rt. Rev Moses Hamungole, Bishop of Monze Diocese, Zambia who worked with Fr. Healey between 2002 -2008 when he served the secretariat as Secretary of Social Communication Department.
During the celebrations, Bishop Hamungole said that Fr. Joe Healey has maintained the spirit of AMECEA Family by continuing to be part and parcel of the growth of AMECEA through his continuing link with the Social Communications Department as well as by being the promoter of Small Christian Community apostolate in the region and beyond.
“Fr. Joe Healey is a member of the AMECEA Family and has remained committed to it from the time he got affiliated with AMECEA,” Bishop Hamungole said, adding that when he got appointed to head AMECEA Social Communications, the name Joe Healey featured prominently in the handover report that he received.
In his remarks during the celebrations, Rev. Fr. Ferdinand Lugonzo, Secretary General of AMECEA thanked Fr. Joe Healey for establishing a robust department that has furthered the Vision and Mission of AMECEA Founding Fathers.
Although his mandate as Secretary to the AMECEA Social Communications Department ended in 1978, Fr. Healey’s heart has remained with AMECEA as he continues to be a strong collaborator of the Association.
“We are very grateful for the fact that you have journeyed with AMECEA Social Communications Department; the successful establishment of AMECEA Information and Communications Technology (ICT) coordination office is a result of your support to the Secretariat and AMECEA region,” Fr. Lugonzo said adding that “We feel proud that the bigger part of your 50 Years of Priestly Missionary Ministry have been dedicated to AMECEA where, apart from supporting the social Communications Department, you have demonstrated commitment to the region by championing the growth of Small Christian Communities in the region and beyond.”
Joe Healey as he is fondly known at AMECEA Secretariat was appointed by the AMECEA Bishops to head the newly established department in 1968.
Rev. Fr. Joe Healey celebrated his Golden Jubilee of Priesthood on June 12, 2016 and his theme for the celebrations was “We Create the Path by Walking.” According to his memoir for the celebrations, he wrote that “As I reflect on, and 
interpret, the signs of times in my Maryknoll Missionary Priesthood during the past 50 years, I see three specific areas where we are creating the path by walking: Small Christian Communities, the Internet and Social Media; and Maryknoll Priests and Brothers from Local Churches in the Global South.”
According to Fr. Joe Healey, his passion for championing the growth of Small Christian Communities in AMECEA and beyond was born out of the call by AMECEA Bishops in 1976 when they said that systematic formation for the Small Christian Communities should be the key Pastoral priority in the years to come for the countries of AMECEA. From 2007 to present, he is teaching courses related to Small Christian Communitie in all constituent colleges of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) to further the growth of Small Christian Communities.
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By Pamela Adinda
