AMECEA: “The Church Needs You,” AMECEA’s Secretary General to Eritrea Faithful

Zerayohannes Ghebrehiwet

During his recent visit to Eritrea in the Horn of Africa, Fr. Anthony Makunde the Secretary General for the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Easten Africa (AMECEA) has encouraged the people of God to remain steadfast in their faith as each person’s contributions help build a stronger vibrant Church.

The three-day visit from 6-10th March marked Fr. Makunde’s first official trip to Eritrea since his appointment as the Secretary General of the Association in 2018.

As part of his itinerary, the Tanzanian cleric paid courtesy calls to various institutions, including the Eritrean Catholic Secretariat (ErCS), Kidane Mehret Catechetical Institute of the Archeparchy of Asmara, Catholic Secretariat Archeparchy of Asmara (CSAA), Institute of Religious Studies (IRS) and Asmara Philosophic-Theological Institute Abune Semala Kesatie Berhan among others where he commended their efforts in serving God’s people.

In his message at each stop Fr.Makunde emphasized, “The Church is waiting for you, the church needs you.” These words echoed throughout his speech, calling upon individuals to actively engage in the life of the Church and contribute to its mission.

The AMECEA Secretary General expressed deep joy and admiration for the unwavering faith and commitment of the Church community saying, “I am extremely inspired to see a church with strong faith, full of hope and confidence.”

Despite the many challenges including economic hardships, social struggles, and restrictions on religious practices the people of Eritrea have faced, Fr Makunde said the spirit of hope remains strong. He encouraged them to embrace their role as “travelers of hope” in this Jubilee Year themed Pilgrims of Hope which is a sacred moment for renewal, reflection, and strengthening commitment to God and to one another.

On his part, Archbishop Menghesteab Tesfamariam of Asmara noted that the Church in Eritrea is commitment to spreading the Good News and are in collaboration to implementing the resolutions of AMECEA’s plenary assemblies.

Archbishop Menghesteab Tesfamariam who is member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ), assured Fr. Makunde that the Archeparchy has translated the ‘Laudato Si: Implementation Guidelines for the AMECEA region’ into Tigrigna, an Ethio-Semitic language commonly spoken in Eritrea and in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Besides, translation of the training manual on Strengthening Small Christian Communities is also on-going.

The AMECEA Secretary General expressed his joy for the visit and encouraged the Eritreans to uphold their traditions and maintain deep-rooted faith across generations. Touched by the country’s peace and security, he urged them to preserve their values, especially their respect, modest dressing, and religious devotion.