AMECEA: African Panelists to Share How Synodality Can Translate in Local Contexts
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
As the entire Church walks through the synodal process focusing on “Communion, Participation and Mission,” African leaders from various church organizations will on Wednesday, March 30, share ways on how synodality can be translated in local contexts so that everybody is involved in the journey.
Announcing the upcoming Webinar themed “The Church in Africa on the Synodal Path:
Living Synodality in Local Churches,” officials from the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences in Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) who are the conveners expressed that “The People of God are being invited to embrace the spirit of dialogue, participation and co-responsibility so as to discern together how God is calling the Church to be in the third millennium.”
In their invitation alerting participants that the discussions will be in both English and French languages, the organizers have noted that “The General Secretariat for Synod of Bishops has urged groups to work together, through mutual listening and consultation of the People of God, in order to achieve the practice of synodality at all levels of the Church with everyone’s participation and contribution.”
As per the synod handbook (Vademecum) used by the Local Churches as a guide towards the preparation of the Assembly, “The diversity of the local Churches and their context and culture bring different gifts to the whole, enriching the entire Body of Christ, this is key to understanding the Church’s path of synodality.”
Referencing Pope Francis’ message on synodality, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops and Bishop Emeritus of Gozo, Malta, who will be the guest speaker on material day Mario Cardinal Grech said, “Pope Francis has reminded us often that a synodal Church is a Church characterized by listening: by reciprocal listening by which everyone: the faithful, bishops and the Bishop of Rome – learns from each other; and above all, by listening to the Holy Spirit all together.”
The Cardinal will focus on the experience of journeying together as a synodal Church in the diversity of the local Churches and their context and culture.
Other panelists include: Philippe Cardinal Ouédraogo Nakellentuba the President SECAM and Metropolitan Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Fr. Terwase Henry Akaabiam the Secretary General of the SECAM Secretariat, Fr. Anthony Makunde Secretary General of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Dominique Yon Youth Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Cape Town, South Africa, and a member of the Vatican International Youth Advisory Body, Dr. Philippe Abraham Birane Tine, President of the National Council of the Laity of Senegal and Sr. Wilhelmina Uhai Tunu, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA).
The webinar is slated for 05:30 PM, EAT and can be registered fro through:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsde-upzstGNdyKG_tA_TtsLnamgjId_Yc
