AMECEA/CCC: Catholic Care for Children Calls for a Socially Cohesive Society

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

An official from the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) while addressing participants at a convening in Lusaka, Zambia who are advocating for holistic care of children and their reintegration to families has said that realization of this concern calls for a collaborative and socially cohesive society.

In his Wednesday, August 30, presentation at a convening themed: Strengthening Catholic Care for Children in the AMECEA region: reading the signs of the time together, Fr. Paul Mung’athia Igweta said, “Our intention for this CCC gathering is to make sure we have a cohesive society, a very human society and an African society, the virtues which can help us realize this dream.”

While giving his presentation and reflecting on Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti which focuses on fraternity and social relationships, Fr. Igweta who is the AMECEA’s Coordinator for the department of Promotion of Integral Human Development (PIHD), admitted that some children who run away from families to streets, do so due to some experienced challenges which need to be looked into as the region lobby for a paradigm shift from institutionalization of vulnerable children.

“We have children in the streets because of inequality and marginalization in the society. Some of these children run away from homes because of poverty,” the cleric said and reminded the participants from the region that, “Pope Francis highlights the importance of building genuine relationships and bonds of friendship within societies and he encourages individuals to reach out to others with compassion and empathy, fostering a sense of community.”

Speaking about Fratelli Tutti in the context of care reforms, Fr. Igweta narrated that as the Encyclical emphasizes the universal brotherhood of humanity and the interconnectedness, the CCCs dream therefore calls for “a sense of solidarity and shared responsibility from all partners.”

The two-day retreat convened by AMECEA in collaboration with the CCCs from four conferences within the region; Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia brought together over 30 participants from the AMECEA region comprising of Bishops, national leaders for Pontifical Missionary Societies (PMS) and Catholic Women Association (CWA), the CCC coordinators and program officers as well as lay leaders for the family apostolate.

As the CCC initiative recognizes the importance of collaboration and Welcomes partnerships within church communities and beyond to realize the best possible outcomes for children and their families, Fr. Igweta expounds that there is need to embrace the Holy Father’s message in the Encyclical where he “invites individuals, societies, and nations to build a world characterized by a culture of encounter, understanding, and care for one another.”

Besides, the encyclical presents a vision of a more inclusive, just, and compassionate world that respects the inherent dignity of every human being which the Kenyan cleric says if well implemented will lead to deinstitutionalization of vulnerable children.

The encyclical Fratelli Tutti which the cleric based his reflection upon, was published in the year 2020, after being signed by the Pope together with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyib in Abu Dhabi, in the year 2019.