AMECEA/JCAM: Panelists to Emphasize Significance of Laity in the Ongoing Synodal Journey
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Panelists from the African continent for the upcoming Webinar slated for Thursday, February 24, are set to emphasize on the significance of the lay faithful in the ongoing preparations for the synod of bishops to be culminated in 2023.
Sharing with AMECEA online a head of the webinar, Ms. Nicole Facheux a Kenya-based Cameroonian and Life Educator said including the laity in the synodal process is “something very important and a good opportunity for them (laity) to have idea on how they can participate in the Church’s mission.”
“Synodality is about journeying together and this togetherness is not just about a part of the Church such as the hierarchy, but it is everybody,” Ms. Facheux, Secretary of the Chaplaincy Committee of Hekima University College (HUC) and a catechist for the Francophone Catholic Community of Nairobi (CCFN), Kenya, narrated adding that the Laity is invited reflect and see practically how they can be part of this synodal journey.
Themed “We the people of God: How is the Holy Spirit inviting the laity to journey together, the Thursday webinar will be the third synodal session organized by the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM) and the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) who partnered to offer talk series to the Church in Africa towards the Synod under the project dubbed ‘African Synodality Initiative.’
The Zoom webinar on synodality and the laity, evokes the original nature of the Church walking forward together, listening to the Holy Spirit, and participating in the mission of the Church, hence the synod intends to help the Church rediscover her purpose of “journeying together.”
According to Ms. Facheux whose area of focus is mostly on pastoral theology and different ways of systematizing the Christian lived experience of the encounter with Christ, the upcoming webinar will shade light to the lay faithful “on how the Holy Spirit is inviting the laity as part of the people or God, to journey together.”
Other panelists include Dr. Camillus Kassala, the Executive Secretary of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Department of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), Dr. Mary Shawa from Malawi, the President of the Legion of Mary for Maula Senatus and a Catholic lay apostolate dedicated to personal sanctification and evangelization of people, and Samuel Zan Akologo from Ghana, Africa Manager of a joint campaign by Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), the Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA) and Caritas Africa for Africa Inclusive Economic Recovery.
The entire session will be moderated by Ms. Beatrice Mumbi who serves as the Safeguarding Coordinator for the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM).
