KENYA: Hekima Jesuit University College Among Those to Mark Ten Years of Pope Francis’ Pontificate
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
As various groups and institutions in the Church look forward to celebrating the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ Pontificate on Monday, March 13, Hekima University College (HUC) founded by the Jesuits as an institution of theology for those studying to be priests has not been left out to mark this day.
In a poster announcing an upcoming online session to celebrate the Pope’s mission so far, the University has organized a two and a half hours table conversation with eminent scholars from diverse backgrounds.
“Pope Francis’ emphasis on the church of the poor, mercy, forgiveness, and inclusion elevates his papacy to a level that is admired by both Catholics and non-Catholics,” reads part of the message co-signed by the principal of HUC Fr. Marcel Uwineza and Dean of Students Fr. George Njeri.
Members of the Society of Jesus where Pope Francis belongs state further in their message, “The popularity of Francis is not simply because he is a pope but rather for his relatable, down-to-earth character transforming the mission of the Church from a master and “know it all” into “a listener,” a living synod, and “a wounded healer” ready to reform and relearn.”
The 266th successor of St. Peter was elected on 13th March 2013 where he chose the name Francis and later according to members of his Order he was “named time’s person of the year “for pulling the papacy out of the palace and into the streets, for committing the world’s largest church to confront its deepest needs, and for balancing judgment with mercy.”
“The Pope’s choice of name, Francis, was already indicative of the papacy the church expects. Francis embodies a much wider range of leadership skills, including his ability to listen, build bridges, and communicate a prophetic vision,” the message announcing the upcoming virtual session reads in part and continues, “He challenges people to transcend their present position and move on to a larger sense of purpose. His emphasis on world peace and respect for human dignity is compelling, as evidenced in his 2023 papal message for world peace: “The time has come for all of us to endeavor to heal our society and our planet, to lay the foundations for a more just and peaceful world, and to commit ourselves seriously to pursuing a good that is truly common.”
The panelists to be involved in the Monday session include, Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator a Jesuit priest, who will “bring a wealth of experience from his long-time scholarly work in African theology and many years of leadership in different capacities in the church, Sr. Nathalie Becquart the Undersecretary for the General Secretariat of the Synod and a member of Xavière Missionaries of Christ Jesus (XMCJ) will focus on the reforms brought by Pope Francis and on his critics.
Mr. Chris Lowney, will expound on what makes Pope Francis distinctive, while a Jesuit priest Fr. Nobert Litoing will provide a perspective on the Pope’s unity agenda, especially on the Catholic church’s relationship with the Muslim world and Bishop Emeritus Rodrigo Mejía Saldarriaga will dwell on Pope Francis’ experience as a bishop in a trying moment of the church’s history in Argentina as foundational in his leadership style and openness to the world.
Other groups including the Pan-African Catholic Theological and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN) will hold a webinar on Sunday, March 12 under the theme Pope Francis and Africa: ten years after, with panelists from five different countries in Africa and African youth faith influencers with Pope Francis will also have an online session on Monday, March 13 titled: digital synod with Pope Francis: 10 years of listening which will be facilitated by panelists from seven African countries.
