{"id":24021,"date":"2026-02-13T23:22:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T20:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/?p=24021"},"modified":"2026-02-13T23:22:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T20:22:10","slug":"ethiopia-catholic-prelate-in-ethiopia-urges-unity-and-distinct-identity-at-annual-spiritual-congresses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/2026\/02\/13\/ethiopia-catholic-prelate-in-ethiopia-urges-unity-and-distinct-identity-at-annual-spiritual-congresses\/","title":{"rendered":"ETHIOPIA: Catholic Prelate in Ethiopia Urges Unity and Distinct Identity at Annual Spiritual Congresses\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Habtamu Abrdew Beture<\/em><\/p>\n

The Apostolic Vicariate of Hawassa concluded two major three-day spiritual conferences on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The twin gatherings, hosted at the Arosa and Bensa Daye MedhaneAlem parishes, drew thousands of the faithful for a weekend of prayer, liturgical songs, and Apostolic teaching. The occasions were graced by the presence of Bishop Merhakristos, the Vicar Apostolic of Hawassa, in the Arosa and Bensa Daye Medhane Alem parishes.<\/p>\n

The events, which were highly anticipated in the Vicariate’s liturgical calendar, served as a powerful testament to the vibrant faith and communal strength of the Ethiopian Catholic Church in the region.<\/p>\n

In Arosa Parish, a three-day spiritual congress concluded this past week with a solemn Holy Mass presided over by His Excellency Bishop Abune Merhakristos, the Apostolic Vicar of Hawassa. Throughout the gathering, the faithful participated in a range of spiritual programs, including intensive catechetical instruction and liturgical sessions. Youth choirs from various outstations enriched the atmosphere with hymns of repentance, thanksgiving, and worship.<\/p>\n

During his homily, Bishop Merhakristos delivered a stirring message centered on the theology of unity. He urged the congregation to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood, reject all forms of division, and remain “One in Christ.”<\/p>\n

A key highlight of his message was the preservation of Catholic identity. The Bishop gave a firm paternal exhortation to the youth and the wider congregation to ensure that their worship and liturgical songs strictly align with the authentic teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n

The spiritual momentum continued in the Eastern Deanery (Gamboshe), where the Bensa Daye MedhaneAlem Parish hosted another major annual congress.<\/p>\n

The arrival of Bishop Merhakristos at Bensa Daye was met with an outpouring of joy. A large delegation of clergy, religious sisters, catechists, and youth choirs greeted the Bishop with the traditional welcome,\u00a0“Dae Bushu”<\/em>\u00a0(Welcome), signalling the start of the deanery-level celebrations.\"\"<\/p>\n

The Gamboshe congress brought together members from six different parishes, creating a diverse yet unified assembly of the People of God.<\/p>\n

“Today is a day to thank God, to speak of His goodness, and to sing of His mercy,” the Bishop told the gathered crowd. “As you return to your homes, do not go back empty-handed. Take with you the Gospel, the comfort of the Spirit, and the righteousness of God.”<\/em><\/p>\n

These annual gatherings are a staple of the Hawassa Vicariate\u2019s pastoral mission. By rotating through different parishes, the congresses ensure that even the most remote communities feel connected to the wider Church.<\/p>\n

As the events drew to a close, participants expressed deep gratitude for the spiritual nourishment received. In the words of the organizers,\u00a0“Blessed be the name of the Lord who has helped us.”<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Habtamu Abrdew Beture The Apostolic Vicariate of Hawassa concluded two major three-day spiritual conferences on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":24022,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-amecea-news","category-ethiopia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24021"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24021\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24024,"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24021\/revisions\/24024"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communications.amecea.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}