KENYA: AMECEA Promises Support and Collaboration With ACI Africa
H.E. Most Rev. Hubertus Matheus Van Megen, Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan
AMECEA has lauded the initiative of the EWTN Global Catholic Network for starting a media apostolate for Africa-the Association of Catholic Information for Africa (ACI Africa), which is based in Nairobi-Kenya, one of the nine AMECEA Countries.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of ACI Africa, a daily online news publication, AMECEA Social Communications Department Coordinator, Rev. Fr. Andrew Kaufa said that ACI Africa is a cause of great joy to AMECEA Secretariat for a number of reasons, among them being the fulfilment of AMECEA Founding Fathers’ Vision stipulated in 1968, of promoting the use of modern means for social communications for evangelization.
“We do recognize that, indeed, social communication is an integral part of evangelization. On this note, let me remind you of what Pope Benedict told us on the World Communication Sunday, 2011) that as a matter of fact, communication is rooted both in the human nature and in that of the Church,” Fr. Kaufa said.
On behalf of the AMECEA Secretary General he expressed gratitude to EWTN for the development and promised support from the entire region.
The launching event, which took place on Saturday, August 17, was led by the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, His Excellency Most Rev. Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen assisted by Rt. Rev. Joseph Obanyi, Bishop Chairman for Social Communications Commission at the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB).
The launch was done with the liturgy of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on 15th August, wherein the Apostolic Nuncio dedicated ACI Africa to the protection of Our Lady and asked the news agency to be “communicators in this world of the Word of God.”
He noted in his homily that communication is used by so many countries especially in the Western world to fight Christianity and the Gospel. He therefore challenged the Catholic media fraternity saying, “It is up to us who believe in Christ, who are the sons and daughters of the Virgin Mary, to be announcers of the Good news, to go out into the world and announce the redemption, mercy and love of God in which we find our true dignity.”
Communications Commission and Bishop of
Kakamega Diocese-Kenya
On his part, Bishop Obanyi who is the local Ordinary for Kakamega Diocese-Kenya Bishop Obanyi indicated that
the Kenyan Catholic Bishops treasure communication and use of media in evangelization are going to fully support the initiative. He encouraged Catholic Communicators to tell the story of Africa from below. Cognisant of the special presence of St. Kizito Small Christian Community who were among the invited guests, Bishop Obanyi said that Small Christian Communities are “a great story of the Church in Africa.”
He observed that very rarely do Catholic media report about activities of Small Christian Communities.
“Rarely do we hear those beautiful stories that happen in the Small Christian Communities; rarely do we hear the good things about the men and women who animate the Christian life from that grassroots level. We believe that through the ACI initiative, we shall be able to hear finally what the Church has to say from below,” he challenged.
ACI Africa which aims to give visibility to all the 54 countries in Africa through its network has already piloted it’s news bulletin which can be accessed through its website: www.aciafrica.org
∽End∽
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
