AMECEA: At Official Visit, AMECEA Chairman Appreciates Commitment at the Secretariat
AMECEA Chairman and Secretariat Staff
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The chairman of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Bishop Charles Sampa Kasonde has, during his official visit at AMECEA Secretariat, appreciated the staff for their commitment and dedication even during the Covid-19 pandemic period.
Addressing AMECEA Secretariat staff on Thursday, May 19, Bishop Kasonde said: “Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic that hampered with most activities in the region, I am happy to say that your work and commitment to duty is well felt in almost all our Conferences.”
“You have managed to drive the Conferences and successfully implement some programs; you have managed to run the Secretariat – of course challenges notwithstanding – and lived up to the demands of the AMECEA bishops. My duty therefore to appreciate what you have done and encourage you to continue doing your best,” Bishop Kasonde the Local Ordinary of Zambia’s Solwezi Diocese, expressed his sentiments to the Secretariat staff during his visit.
Reminding AMECEA staff to be cognizant of their role as the coordinating and epic centre of the region, the Chairman said in reference to the eight Conferences that form the region: “You need to have eight wings on which to operation on as you endeavor to continue interacting with all the conferences.”
“As Secretariat, a number of times you have been working with the corresponding Conferences to ensure that AMECEA plans, especially the resolutions are implemented,” the Prelate who has been the chair of AMECEA since 2018 disclosed and continued encouraging the participants for the Thursday meeting to continue making follow ups on the effectiveness of the implemented resolutions.
Additionally, the Bishop encouraged Secretariat staff to continue collaborating with member Conferences in the region, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences in Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) where AMECEA region is a member, Vatican office of the Holy Father and the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) whose office is situated closely to the secretariat for continued work together as one family and universal Church.
“Let us harness the relationship God has given us to enrich our being here and create conducive environment for work,” the chairman said and continued, “Let us work for the betterment of our people in the region.”
On his part the AMECEA Secretary General Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Makunde briefed the chairman on the approaches to work the secretariat has used as its pillars for the past four years.
“One approach we have used is to plant the spirit of working together,” Fr. Makunde said explaining that the departments at the secretariat have been working in solidarity for the realization of various programs for the conferences.
Besides the spirit of solidarity, Fr. Makunde narrated that the Secretariat staff have always been reminded to have in mind that AMECEA goes beyond the Secretariat and that it is actually the eight Conferences together.
“This approach was to help us move out and meet the others in member Conferences where AMECEA is found but with the interruption of Covid-19, we did not register much on this approach,” Fr. Makunde said while he appreciated that the spirit has been planted already which will be helpful even in the future.
In conclusion the Secretary General said that members of the Secretariat are aware that “We are tools and instruments of the bishops hence our duty is to add value and be assets in the region.”
