AMECEA: Pastoral Coordinator Assures Theologians that Small Christian Communities Domesticate Theology at Grassroots
Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
At the second biannual Pan-African Catholic Congress on Theology, Society, and Pastoral Life, the Pastoral Coordinator AMECEA Secretariat shared with participants that Small Christian Communities (SCCs) is a model that breaks down theology into concepts understandable by common people.
In his speech while addressing participants from various regions, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo said, “Small Christian Communities help to devolve theology so that it can be domesticated at grassroots.”
He disclosed while addressing the participants on Tuesday, July 19, at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, that SCCs which is the brainchild of AMECEA Bishops “gives opportunity for those at the periphery of life to be heard.”
Fr Chimombo who was speaking on behalf of the AMECEA Secretary General Fr. Anthony Makunde, underscored that the ongoing synod of bishops has borrowed the structure used by the SCCs, emphasizing on listening, communion, participation and mission which is key in SCCs.
“Small Christian Communities which are an identity of AMECEA region provides a flexible ground for consultation and this is the path that the synodal process has taken,” Fr. Chimombo narrated and continued, “These SCCs also provide opportunity for people to listen to one another and the Christians participate better because everyone is taken on board with the support of the Holy Spirit.”
He informed the African theologians that for AMECEA to strengthen the SCCs which he terms as “the Church at the grassroots” the region has “come up with a special handbook which is a training manual intended to reinforce the growth of the SCCs and bring theology to local context.”
He then promised the participants that the AMECEA region through SCCs will cascade the theology from the congress to meet the needs of the common people on the ground.
Fr Chimombo further appreciated the organizers of the congress for identifying CUEA as the host saying, “We are proud that the Pan-African Catholic Congress on Theology, Society, and Pastoral Life chose CUEA which is one of the AMECEA institutions, to host the conferences.”
The four-day congress from July 19-22 was convened under the theme “Walking Together for a Vital Church for Africa and the World,” and brought together bishops, clergy, Religious and laity.
