AMECEA: In Development of Laudato Si Implementation Guidelines in AMECEA Region, Secretary General Encourages Inculturation

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

Against the backdrop of 20^th Plenary Assembly slated for next year and aimed to focus on care for environment as a clarion call by Pope Francis in his Encyclical Letter Laudato Si, the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Secretary General has appealed to the team drafting simple guidelines about the document to prioritize inculturation.

Speaking to the team that gathered for a four-day workshop on Tuesday, June 15, to develop Laudato Si’ guidelines, Very Rev. Anthony Makunde said, “As pastoral and spiritual leaders, let us aim to be of value to all members of the region and borrow the concept of inculturation that the Church in Africa has prioritized in as we come up with these guidelines.”

He referenced a number of tribes and local communities within the region that have sacred places and teachings on protecting nature reminding the team that brought together partners from academia field and other Catholic organizations with environment desks to learn from traditional practices and “use the same philosophy and principles in an inspired and Christian way and preserve the mother earth.”

Fr Makunde appealed to the team to prepare a document which is of value to the entire Christian and non-Christian community in the region so that they can learn to preserve, and care for the Mother Earth in their own perspectives.

He further observed that the Pope’s appeal on caring for the environment may not be an easy task “but calls us to go beyond what we normally take for granted and have a spiritual feeling for nature.”

The drafting team comprised of members from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA), Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM), Association of Sisterhoods in Kenya (AOSK), Caritas Africa and AMECEA.

Addressing participants during the Tuesday opening event, the AMECEA Coordinator for the department of Promoting Integral Human Development (PIHD) Fr. Paul Mung’athia Igweta said the document which is to be developed need to be “known by Christians within the AMECEA region and the booklet be made available, in simple language understandable by people at all levels including the Small Christian Communities, parishes, Schools, Universities and bishops Conferences.”

The PIHD Coordinator referenced Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who observed that sin against the environment is a capital sin and that “that’s why the Church is advocating for caring for environment to avoid sin.”