ETHIOPIA: Nuns Congratulate AMECEA Bishops; Call for collaboration
Sr. Cicilia Njeri, LSOSF, President of the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA)
Religious Women Superiors under their umbrella organisation, the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa, (ACWECA) have congratulated the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Bishops and called on them to view the role of sisters as collaborators and not as competitors.
Delivering her solidarity message during the 19th AMECEA Plenary Assembly in Addis Ababa, the ACWECA President, Sr. Cecilia Njeri, LSOSF requested that the presence and the role of sisters who do most of their activities silently and in undocumented ways in the periphery be recognised, encouraged and supported.
While appreciating the vibrant Diversity in the Church as noted in the theme of the 19th AMECEA Plenary Assembly, Sr Njeri stressed on the need to emphasise collaboration in evangelisation, recognising the unique difference in the Sisters approach as women.
“It is therefore necessary at this Plenary Assembly to take time to see our Vibrant Diversity: you as Bishops and we as Consecrated Women and to recognise our equal dignity,” Sr. Njeri said.
She said the Nuns in the region would like the AMECEA Bishops to involve them when discussing ownership and management of properties such as land, institutions and finances arguing that most religious Institutes (Congregations) in the region are still of Diocesan rite.
Sr. Njeri noted that the theme of the 19th Plenary Assembly of AMECEA was similar to their ACWECA 17th Plenary Assembly which went under the theme: “Revitalize our Solidarity for deeper Evangelization in today’s Complex Reality within the Region.”
Thus, the Women Religious in the region affirmed that the similarity between the two themes was a sign that the successes and challenges that they face in the region were also the same.
According to Sr. Njeri, the regional body for women religious which falls within the AMECEA region traces its origins to AMECEA, noting that, way back in 1974, the idea of founding ACWECA was conceived. “We all look at AMECEA as our Father body because ACWECA was born in a gathering like this way back in 1974,” Sr Njeri said.
Sr. Njeri who congratulated the AMECEA Bishops on the occasion of their 19th Plenary Assembly, said that such meetings help them to reflect on their past, present and the future of their region.
She reported that the organization, so far had major achievements, one of them being development of ACWECA’s Statutes which she attributed to the contributions and collaboration of AMECEA that had made it possible for them to develop the document.
“As I speak, the document is in the office of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL) waiting for approval or recommendations,” said Sr. Njeri who is also the Superior General of the Little Sisters of St. Francis, LSOSF, in Uganda.
She said another key achievement of the 44 year old organization is the development of the 2017-2022 ACWECA Strategic Plan confirming that, the document has four thematic areas namely, Formation and mission, Family and youth, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation and, organizational development to be implemented in six years.
By Sr. Grace Candiru, MSMMC
