KENYA: Nuncio Calls The Church in Africa to Keep African Values of Community and Communion
Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan His Excellency Archbishop Bert van Megen and Fr. Anthony Makunde AMECEA Secretary General
The Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan His Excellency Archbishop Bert van Megen has encouraged the Church in Africa to keep African values of community and communion for a functional society.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy visit to the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Secretariat in Nairobi on 3rd, September, 2019, Archbishop van Megen said Africans should continue embracing togetherness to refrain from dangers of capitalism, individualism, radical capitalism, hedonism and many others that he says have contributed to injustices and lack of value for human life in other parts of the world.
“Africans have a very great gift which they should not loose. If you loose it, you will go the same direction as the West, which is the end of a functional society. A society can only function when there is a sense of communion, which is lacking in the Western societies. In these countries, people do not take responsibility at the government level and even at the family level. People do not take care of others and even their own children,” the Nuncio said.
He encouraged the African Church to introduce the culture of communion to countries that have lost the sense appreciating it, adding that despite all the challenges that Africa faces like corruption, the burden of diseases, war, poverty and many others, Africans still have a very keen sense of the value of human life.
His Excellency Archbishop Bert van Megen
with a section of AMECEA Secretariat Staff.
He challenged AMECEA to be committed to strengthening the Church by making it a living stone not only through the building of infrastructures.
“We are a Church of structures. However, at times there is a tendency to say if we have the structures in place, then everything is okay. The Holy Father reminds us that the structure need to become a living stone. The Church is made of living stones where each and everyone one contributes with his life and personal commitment to the functioning of that Church. We will never save the church through structures; we can only save the Christianity by making sure that the body of Christ is present and keeps on growing and flourishing in society through a personal commitment,” he said.
On the other hand, he appreciated the work done and commitment displayed by AMECEA saying there is quality, dedication and valuable contribution to the Church in Africa.
Receiving the Apostolic Nuncio on behalf of the AMECEA the Secretary General Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Makunde, the Pastoral Coordinator who is also Deputy Secretary General Rev. Emmanuel Chimombo said AMECEA is committed to protection of the sanctity of human life stressing that “human life begins at conception till natural death” hence AMECEA has taken child protection issue seriously.
The Nuncio met with all the AMECEA staff members who introduced themselves in their respective departments, explaining what they do, before he had a common meeting with all of them in AMECEA boardroom.
~END~
By Rose Achiego
