AMECEA: “We are Called to Remain Relevant to the Mission of the Church,” AMECEA Chairman to Board Members
Executive Board Members together with a section of Secretariat staff
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Members of the executive board for the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) have been reminded of the essence of remaining relevant to the mission of the Church in their deliberations.
In his opening remarks on Thursday, May 9, for the two-day meeting at Donum Dei centre in Nairobi, the AMECEA Chairman Bishop Charles Sampa Kasonde said, “As representatives from our various conferences, we are here to ensure that all the tasks entrusted to us are taken care of and acted upon. Therefore, we are expected to remain relevant to the mission of Christ who called us to serve.”
Bishop Kasonde who is the Ordinary for the Diocese of Solwezi in Zambia told the over ten participants (AMECEA executive board members and Secretariat management) that through them the AMECEA plenary resolutions are to be materialized.
“Remember, we are the channel and the vessels for transmitting what AMECEA fathers have agreed upon to be fulfilled within the four years before the next Plenary Assembly,” Bishop Kasonde narrated to his fellow bishops adding that it is through the Plenary Assemblies and the Board meetings that the region is kept alive.
The chairman appreciated the participants who managed to attend the meeting stressing that representation from conferences continues to unite the Bishops together as the executive board remains the mouth and the foot of the Plenary that meets once after four years to re-energize the region.
Following the recent elections for new office bearers at the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Bishop Kasonde welcomed Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Kenya’s Nyeri Archdiocese as the new delegate representing KCCB. Archbishop Muheria has replaced Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba who was elected the new Chairman for the conference.
Bishop Kasonde further urged the executive board members to continue praying and strengthening one another especially the sick and those experiencing various challenges within the region to increase the bond of love among conferences.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Bishop Kasonde announced that the Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Archdiocese of Nyeri, Kenya is now the Vice Chairman of AMECEA Executive Board replacing Archbishop Maurice Muhatia of Kisumu Archdiocese, Kenya.
As Vice Chairman for AMECEA Executive Board, Archbishop Muheria becomes AMECEA delegate to the Standing Committee of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of African and Madagascar (SECAM).
This follows the appointment of Most Rev. Muhatia as President of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) last month, upon which he ceased to be member of the Board of AMECEA. Meanwhile, the Chairman of AMECEA Executive Board Rt. Rev. Kasonde has expressed gratitude to Archbishop Maurice Muhatia for his service to the regional body for many years during which he served as AMECEA Board member and Chairman of the Council of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
