AMECEA PLENARY: Environmental Care is Vital in Response to New Evangelization, AMECEA Bishops in Solidarity Message to Pope Francis
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
At the opening session of the 20th plenary assembly of the bishops in the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region, prelates in their solidarity message to Pope Francis have promised continued environmental care as a call for new evangelization.
Reading the solidarity message while addressing his holiness Pope Francis on behalf of the bishops on Monday, July 11, Rt. Rev. George Cosmas Lungu the former Chairman of Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) noted that during the study session of the week-long plenary whose theme has been inspired by the vision of solidarity on ‘Care for our common Home’, the bishops wish “to reflect on the efforts made to raise awareness and the challenges so far met in the process of implementation.”
Of particular interest, he said in the message signed by the AMECEA chairman bishops Charles Sampa Kasonde, “is how to ensure that environmental care and integral human development continue to be a key focus area in response to your (Pope) call for new evangelization.”
The bishops noted that the call for care of creation “calls for collaboration and the spirit of authentic listening to one another and to the Holy Spirit.”
The 20th AMECEA Plenary Assembly held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania has brought together various delegates including the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from the Vatican Cardinal Luis Tagle, the Apostolic Nuncio for Kenya and Sudan/South Sudan Archbishop Hubertus van Megen, the Secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature of Tanzania, together with representatives of priests, Consecrated persons, the Laity, Heads of Departments at the respective National Catholic Secretariats, heads of the Catholic Universities and other partners.
The Church leaders disclosed to the Pope that the encyclical Laudato Si’ has been appreciated in the AMECEA region “not only by the Catholics but also by the people of other faiths and governments.”
They commended Pope Francis for his 9 years of service in Pontificate and asked for his blessings during the plenary period saying “We congratulate you; we thank God for your inspiring leadership to the entire Church; and we promise our solidarity, allegiance and prayers. We ask for your Apostolic blessings so that our deliberations may be for the greater glory of God.”
The week-long assembly for the Catholic Church in Eastern Africa from 10-17th July, runs under the theme “Environmental impact on integral human development.”
