AMECEA Launches Golden Jubilee Year for SCCs, Prelate Emphasizes a Period of Reflection and Discernment
Archbishop George Desmond Tambala of Malawi’s Lilongwe Archdiocese
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The region of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) on Saturday, August 19, launched a year-long celebration of Small Christian Communities (SCCs) since its establishment, where Prelate has encouraged reflection and discernment moments as a way to understand deeply SCCs.
“Small Christian Community is a great tool for the Church, actually we cannot think of the Church without the Small Christian Communities and as we launch 50years in the region, it is for us a time of reflection and discernment,” Archbishop George Desmond Tambala of Malawi’s Lilongwe Archdiocese shared with AMECEA Online in an interview Saturday, August 19.
The SCCs was an initiative by the AMECEA bishops during their 5th Plenary Assembly in 1973 as a result of putting the communion ecclesiology and teachings of Vatican II into practice and to promote communion and participation of all the faithful in the Church.
According to Archbishop Tambala who was the main celebrant on the day of the launch, that took place in Nsipe parish in Dedza Diocese, SCCs as a model of having a small group of families praying together, is Biblical and originates from the early Christians.
He therefore encouraged other regions in the Africa who have not established SCCs, to borrow a leaf from AMECEA since the model of SCCs has sustained the Church for centauries in various parts of the world
“The fact that this has been successful in the AMECEA region should be self-evident to other regions. We need to know that SCC is not just an AMECEA project, but a biblical model centered around the word of God, the Eucharist and the mission and therefore it fits well for every Church in the world,” Archbishop Tambala a member of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD) explained during the Saturday interview and raised a concern, “If there are regions that have not adopted this model, then they should seriously question themselves the model which they are basing their Church on.”
Archbishop Tambala who is the Synod delegate to represent Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) in the upcoming Assembly scheduled for the month of October in Rome, “Synod can be a catalyst to evaluate Small Christian Communities and after 50 years, it is time to go back to origins and find out the current understanding of the SCCs.”
“The Small Christian Communities and synod can blend into each other very well. At the end of the day, it is about strengthening our traditions of SCCs and on the other hand adapting to our own times and also being relevant to some groups such as the youths that have been left out and need to be integrated into the SCCs,” the Archbishop expounded the aspect of synodality in relation to SCCs.
On his part, the newly consecrated Bishop of Malawi’s Zomba Diocese Rt. Rev. Alfred Mateyu Chaima appreciated the 50 years of existence of SCCs in the AMECEA region saying it is an opportunity for him as a new Shepherd to strengthen the model in the diocese.
“In every aspect, Small Christian Communities is vital in the life of the Church. Now that I am just beginning my ministry in the Diocese of Zomba, I would wish to bring the life of the Church right to the grassroots,” the Bishop said and hopes that there will be opportunity for the Diocese to catechize people on the significance of SCCs for it to be re-energized.
Even though 50 years has been a period of achievement for AMECEA region concerning SCCs, Bishop Chaima who was consecrated on Saturday, August 12, underscores the need for capacity building for pastoral agents to strengthen the life of the Christians at the grassroots.
He promises to include SCCs in the strategic plan of the Diocese which they are yet to review so it can embrace everyone including the youths, men, young adults and the elderly to make SCCs more vibrant.
“We are a lucky generation since we have been embracing this spirit of SCCs. And as we celebrate the golden Jubilee, we will not have any excuse if we do not use this opportunity to iron out any challenges that we have faced in the past 50yrs,” Bishop Chaima, the former Secretary General of ECM narrated concluding that, “It is time to re-start and give SCCs new energy and look at it as a home for building Christian faith.”
