AMECEA: The Essence of Building Relationships around Laudato Si Action Goals: AMECEA PIHD Coordinator

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

Following the environmental crisis concern that is ongoing in the Eastern Africa region and beyond, the Coordinator for the department of Promoting Integral Human Development (PIHD) at the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) has elaborated the essence of Pope Francis’ invitation for the Church to build a relationship around Laudato Si’ action goals.

“The actions guided by the seven Laudato Si’ goals proposed by the Holy Father, are meant to rebuild our relationship with each other and with our common home,” Fr. Paul Mung’athia Igweta shared with AMECEA online in an interview Tuesday, August 2, adding that the suggested goals are concrete actions to achieve.

Stressing the message from the Vatican Dicastery for PIHD that was shared with bishops of the Eastern Africa region during the 20^th plenary assembly in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Fr. Igweta underscored that “Everything is interconnected and interdependent, at the same time our health depends on the health of nature .”

In his sharing during the Tuesday interview, Fr. Igweta echoed the Pope’s appeal that new ecological approach calls all humanity to “avoid selfishness and resource depredation, respect the gifts of the earth, use sustainable lifestyles at any ecological level and all to prepare a better future for everyone.”

In this case he said, “We must work together and collaborate each with “our own culture, our own experience, our own initiatives and our own abilities.”

Fr. Igweta highlighted the seven Laudato Si’ action goals and expounded on how they can be realized saying, “Response to the Cry of the Earth is a call to equitably address climate change, biodiversity loss and ecological sustainability.”

“This calls for greater use of clean renewable energy and reducing fossil fuels in order to achieve carbon neutrality,” the PIHD coordinator noted and continued, “protection and promotion of biodiversity leads to access of clean water for all.”

The goal on response to the cry of the poor, he said, “Is a call for global solidarity with special attention given to vulnerable groups such as indigenous communities, refugees, migrants and children. At the same time, it is a defense of human life from conception to death and from all forms of life on earth.”

Sharing with AMECEA online about ecological economics as a Laudato Si’ action goal which acknowledges that economy is a sub-system of human society, the Eastern Africa community has been called upon to be conscious of sustainable production including
“fair-trade, ethical consumption, ethical investments, divestment from fossil fuels and any economic activity harmful to the planet and the people but to investment in renewable energy.”

Therefore, adoption of sustainable lifestyle is key while living with what is enough and not excess to avoid waste,” Fr. Igweta said adding that “Ecological spirituality which encourages greater contact and connections with the natural world in the spirit of wonder, praise, joy, happiness and gratitude is significant to help us reconnect with our creator.”

Besides the cleric said “ecological conversion also calls for ecological education for humanity to re-think the education system in the spirit of integral ecology so we can reach ecological awareness and action.”

In conclusion community engagement at all levels; local, regional, national and international is paramount.