ETHIOPIA: AMECEA Bishops to address Diversity and Ethnic based conflict in Eastern Africa
The Ethiopian Catholic Church confirm readiness to host the 19th Plenary Assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) from 13th to 23rd July, 2018, in Addis Ababa.
AMECEA has nine-member countries namely Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Zambia and Malawi. Djibouti and Somalia are affiliate members.
With the theme Vibrant diversity, equal dignity, peaceful unity, in God in AMECEA Region, The Catholic Bishops in Eastern Africa choose emphasizes that diversity is beauty and should not be a source of conflict as it is currently witnessed in the region. “We witness ethnic based violence in different parts of the region and yet ethnic diversity is a beautiful gift from God which we need to embrace. Being different is a beauty, it also provides us an opportunity to learn from one another. In this plenary we will transmit this message to our people and also decide on how the Catholic Church can work towards achieving peace and harmony among peoples in our respective countries,” reads the press statement.
In a press release issued on 12th, July, 2018, by the Ethiopian Bishops, The Plenary will be officially opened on Sunday 15th, July, 2018 with Holy Mass to be concelebrated by the Catholic Bishops of Eastern Africa followed by a ceremony where the Representative of the Holy Father Pope Francis, from the Holy See and high government officials of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and other dignitaries are expected to attend. The Catholic faithful from the all the Catholic Dioceses in Ethiopia have also been invited to attend the Holy Mass.
The Bishops said that, they have been preparing for the event for the past four years and they are ready to receive the participants coming from different parts of Eastern Africa and other parts of the world. It will be the first time for Ethiopia to host an AMECEA Plenary and it will be a time to celebrate the pastoral and social works of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia. We also hope it will bring our ecumenical and interfaith relation efforts in the country to a next level as different religious leaders are invited to the opening ceremony.
They thanked all the Catholic faithful, all people of good will and institutions and the Ethiopian Government for the support rendered in the preparation for AMECEA expressing gratitude to journalists and media institutions for sharing and for continuing to promote peace messages with the wider public. “We ask all the Catholic faithful and all people of good will to continue praying for vibrant diversity, equal dignity, and peaceful unity in God in our Region. God bless Ethiopia and Africa,” they said.
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By Rose Achiego
