AMECEA: Integral Human Development Coordinator Encourages Franciscans to Fully Engage in Eco-Restoration

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Coordinator for Promoting Integral Human Development (PIHD) has encouraged the Franciscan family in Kenya to fully participate in environmental conservation activities to maintain a healthy and functional ecosystem following Pope Francis’ invitation to “every person living on this planet” to care for mother earth.

“As followers of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron of ecology, I urgently appeal for a new dialogue on how we can shape the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone since the environment challenge we are currently facing and its human roots concerns and affects us all,” Fr. Paul Mung’athia Igweta shared with lay and Religious Franciscans on Saturday, July 24.

“As a whole human family, we all need to be fully involved in this restoration and together seek sustainable ways for integral development knowing that through our efforts, we can have a better world,” Fr. Igweta explained.

Expounding on the need for full participation of ecosystem restoration Fr. Igweta says, “The Mother Earth cries because of the harm human beings have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods God endowed her. We see ourselves as the lords and masters entitled to plunder the earth at will.”

Based on this he narrated, “The future of humanity, biodiversity and resources are at a critical moment towards both total collapse, systematic depletion and devastation. Besides, the future generation is at stake hence the need for this urgent call to action.”

Fr. Igweta disclose that the violence present in the hearts of humanity wounded by sin is “reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, water, air and all forms of life.”

The cleric at the helm of AMECEA PIHD department since 2018 has currently a technical team who are engaged in a study to analyze the Pope’s Encyclical letter Laudato Si’ on integral human development and are set to develop implementation guidelines on formation of conscious and creating awareness to the people in AMECEA region.

In preparation for the 20^th bishops’ plenary assembly themed “Nurturing our common home; Living Laudato Si’ towards enhancing integral human development in AMECEA region,” Fr. Igweta disclosed to the online participants, “We are carrying out a research study and so far we have developed working tools which have been validated, presented to conferences and translated to various languages (Amharic, Swahili and Chichewa) that can be understood by the different countries in the region.

He further emphasized to dozens of online participants to know their role in relation to care of environment and be ready to respond to the team developing Laudato Si’ guidelines during data collection which will include “interview guide for key informants, observation guide, Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) guide, questionnaires for members of Small Christian Communities (SCC), for youths and children which will be administered physically and online,” within the nine AMECEA countries.

According to Fr. Igweta, the approach towards the realization of Laudato Si appropriates Pope Paul VI’s methodology of See- Judge and Act which is a pastoral cycle.