AMECEA: “We Are Called Not to Rule, But to Serve the People of God,” Tanzanian Bishop
By Ginaba Lino
A representative of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Bishop Flavian Matindi Kassala of Tanzania, has reminded Bishops in Sudan and South Sudan that their calling is to serve rather than to rule, emphasizing that true synodality lies in participation, dialogue, and service.
Speaking on November 12 during the ongoing plenary assembly of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Malakal Diocese, Bishop Kassala urged Church leaders to embrace humility and unity in their pastoral mission.
“As bishops, we are called not to rule, but to serve the people of God,” Bishop Kassala said, adding that “Synodality should reflect a system of the Church that serves. There should be moments of evaluation, where we truly ask whether the serving mission of Jesus is being realized in the Church.”
Delivering his message on behalf of AMECEA Bishops, the Tanzanian prelate said the delegation’s solidarity visit is meant to strengthen ties with the local Churches and to accompany them both spiritually and physically as part of the ongoing regional synodal journey.
Bishop Kassala, who also serves as Chairperson of the Education Department of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), reflected on lessons from the 2023–2024 Synod on Synodality and how they can be applied in local contexts. He noted that the Eucharist remains the center of unity for the faithful and a vital space for renewal within the Church.
“The synodal journey is not an end but a beginning,” he said. “It calls us to walk together as one people of God to dialogue, to reconcile, and to renew our relationships in families, in communities, and in the wider Church.”
He further emphasized the importance of building relationships rooted in love, forgiveness, and reconciliation, saying these values form the foundation of a synodal Church. He described cultural and traditional diversity as a strength that enriches the unity of the Church rather than a source of division.
At the same time, Bishop Kassala cautioned Church leaders against being swayed by political or social ideologies that could lead them away from Christ’s mission.
“We must not lose sight of our evangelizing mission. True renewal comes only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” he said.
Concluding his address, Bishop Kassala reminded the Bishops that the synodal journey must always remain anchored in the leadership of the Holy Father.
“The Synodal Church walks with Peter,” he said. “We journey together under the guidance of the Holy Father, in unity and hope, as a Church that serves and renews.”
The AMECEA delegation’s presence in Malakal marked a gesture of solidarity with the Church in Sudan and South Sudan, as both nations continue to face humanitarian and pastoral challenges amid ongoing conflict and displacement.
