AMECEA: Liaison Persons on Synodal Process to Act in Speed, Says AMECEA Secretary General
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
After the Vatican has launched a two-year journey that will culminate in October 2023, Secretary General of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) has urged the national and regional liaison persons on synodality to develop modalities that will help speeding up the Synod process.
“The time frame given for Dioceses and Conferences to go through the synodal exercise is very limited, just from now till April 2022,” AMECEA Secretary General Rev. Fr. Anthony Makunde told regional liaison persons at a virtual session on Thursday, October 14, urging them to embark on the processes and work within the stipulated time.
He continued, “National and Diocesan Coordinators are to collaborate and come up with an action plan that will help in making follow up on diocesan level to ensure all local churches are moving together as far as time frame is concerned and that activities are conducted as required.”
During the meeting that brought together national contact persons for the sydonal process from all AMECEA conferences – Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan and South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia – Fr. Makunde noted that the region needs to “start the common journey together as it has been sharing other pastoral events.”
Highlighting how AMECEA region needs to participate in the synodal process and be part of the universal Church, AMECEA Pastoral Coordinator Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo disclosed that the region “intends to enhance communion, participation and mission in AMECEA.”
“For a long time it has been noted that the African voice is very silent on synodal programs. We therefore want to make sure that AMECEA has a strong voice by participating actively and contributing effectively to the process and its outcome,” Fr. Chimombo shared with the 16 online participants noting that the region will “sensitize the people, engage and publicize the synodal process among the various stakeholders and relevant institutions.”
Additionally, Fr Chimombo narrated, AMECEA needs to build the capacity of diocesan, national and regional Church structures to meaningfully engage in the process and, after the Synod, to receive and disseminate the Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation.
Speaking during the Thursday meeting, AMECEA Information and Technology Coordinator (ICT) Mr. Bernard Mberere disclosed to participants the need for networking and disseminating the synod process as a region saying, “If we journey together, we will reach so many people, a lot of information will be shared hence the Synod will be celebrated by everyone in the region.”
“AMECEA website already has a tab for Synod 2021-2023 that contains materials which we will continue updating,” Mr. Mberere said asking the liaison persons to be available when called upon to share their views through a questionnaire on strategies to be used to get concerns for the people in the region.
AMECEA is currently in collaboration with Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM) for successful dissemination and creation of Synod awareness across the region and beyond.
