AMECEA
News 21/2003 1st September 2003 AMECEA
News 21/2003 1st September 2003
ERITREA/ETHIOPIA
BISHOPS CALLS FOR PEACE
The Catholic Bishops of Eritrea and Ethiopia in a Press Release have expressed
their concern for peace and reconciliation. They were in their annual Plenary
Assembly in Vatican City June 23-29, 2003. The Bishops stressed the importance
of peace and reconciliation by repeating the words of Pope John Paul II: "if
we are not walking together in harmony we separately are walking on to destruction"
since unity and solidarity is the way of a true witness to our Christian life
as Christ prayed for us that all may be one… and that they be so completely
one that the world will realize that it was God who has sent him.
They assured the people of the two countries that they are ready to renew their
commitment to cooperate and work together more closely for the greater benefit
of the two nations and people. The bishops expressed their sorrow recalling
the loss of lives by war which has brought much suffering and grief to many
both families and individuals. Beside the war there is severe famine due to
the drought without forgetting the many people afflicted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
In conclusion, they called all the faithful and people of good will to join
in the healing and building up mutual respect and understanding inflicted by
the war. According to them, all this is possible through the divine intercession
of Mary Mother of God.
KENYA
CATHOLIC RADIO GOES ON AIR
On Sunday July 6, 2003, the first Catholic Radio -Radio Waumini 88.5 FM went
on air. Its signal reaches a radius of 150 km around Nairobi. Seven Catholic
bishops, religious men and women and thousands of the faithful at the station's
premises witnessed the event. The Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC) chairman
Bishop Cornelius Korir led the bishops. Others bishops present were KEC Chairman
of the Communications Commission Bishop David Kamau and his vice-chairman Bishop
Martin Kivuva. Others were Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana 'a Nzeki of Nairobi
who was the main celebrant, Archbishop John Njue Coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri,
Bishop Alfred Rotich of Military Vicariate and Archbishop John Njenga of Mombasa
who gave the homily.
Speaking during the occasion, which also marked the World Communications Day
for Kenya, Bishop Korir called upon the media to promote peace and truth. He
said "communications media are bound to contribute to peace in narrowing
the barriers of bad faith, knowing how to encourage the path to reconciliation
and mercy through understanding and mutual respect. Not only by profession but
also by vocation, communicators are called upon to be agents of truth, justice,
freedom and love." Talking about the World Communications Day's, the Bishop
said amidst threats of war and terrorism, "the theme this year recalls
the words of Pope John XXIII: 'True peace among the nations does not depend
upon the possession or equal distribution of arms, but only on mutual confidence.'"
According to Bishop Kamau, the purpose of Radio Waumini and its broadcasting
objectives, is to provide comprehensive, varied and balanced religious and wholistic
radio programmes for the entire Kenyan public, taking cognizance of the ethnic,
national, religious and cultural diversity of the many peoples who inhabit the
land. This radio apostolate idea dates back to 1960s when the Catholic Secretariat
was founded. In 1970s, the Bishops developed a simple sound/recording studio
at Waumini House, Nairobi. The studio has continued to produce religious radio
programmes which are aired on other radio stations till 2002 when the Kenya
Government granted the KEC a broadcast licence to operate its own radio. Radio
Waumini is in line with the 'Ecclesia in Africa', where the Holy Father challenges
the continent to rise up to new strategies of evangelization. (Source: AMECEA
& CISA)
AIDS WORKSHOP
The All Africa Conference Sister to Sister (AACSS) has resolved to end the
silence on HIV/AIDS, in order to enable dialogue which is a necessary step in
fighting the scourge devasting Africa. They said this in a one-week workshop
on AIDS held in Nairobi which ended August 18, 2003. It attracted 107 Catholic
women religious from eight countries of Africa representing 63 women's religious
congregations.
The workshop was officially opened Mrs. Charity Ngilu the Health Minister in
Kenya. In her address she praised the Catholic Church for its significant role
and contribution in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She said that it was evident
in that Church has been accused of indifference due to its stand against the
use of condoms in fighting the pandemic. The Minister commended the Church for
its focus in its contribution on prevention through raising awareness and promotion
of behaviour change, care and treatment of the people living with HIV/AIDS,
and social and economic support for those infected and affected by the scourge.
Archbishop Raphael Ndingi mwana 'a Nzeki of Nairobi Archdiocese speaking during
the opening Mass said the Church must speak against the vices that contribute
to the spread of the disease, without fear. He said the Church has been praying
for those infected by the virus and asking God to grant wisdom and knowledge
to those engaged in search for a cure. Abstinence was the only sure and guaranteed
way of avoiding the HIV infection the Archbishop said.
At the end of the workshop, the delegates pledged to strengthen their work in
identifying the positive elements in our cultures and faith traditions elements
that can help to alleviate this scourge and improve networking with all others
in the churches, governments, families, and others who recognizes or desire
the need to save Africa from HIV/AIDS. (Courtesy of CISA)
SLUMS LAND AND HOUSING PROBLEMS
The resident of informal settlements in Nairobi face a serious land crisis
and are among the most exploited in the country a report has revealed. According
to that report, to the eye of the casual observer, the informal settlements
are energetic and booming villages where all manner of trade, shop-keeping and
even artisan can be found but upon a deeper look, they are the most exploited
and oppressed in Kenya. The violent clashes that repeatedly occur there are
a symptom of the gross privations that result from lack of security of tenure
over land and provision of adequate housing for the poor.
In a move to do something to change the situation, the Urban Parish Network
in the Informal Settlements (Kutoka/Exodus) prepared the document, entitled,
'Land and Housing Problems in Our Parishes', and dated June 2003. Exodus/Kutoka
is an association of pastoral workers of the parishes in the informal settlements
(slums) of Nairobi, and it addressed its memorandum to Archbishop Raphael Ndingi
Mwana 'a Nzeki, of Nairobi. According to the report, the city has 130 slum communities
that are home to over 2 million people. In addition it reported that the resident
of Nairobi's informal settlements constitute 55% of the city's total population
yet they are crowded onto only 1.5% of the total land area in the city. This
therefore makes Nairobi a city more densely populated by slums than Calcutta
and Bombay, cities traditionally considered the worst slum cities in the world.
Failure to grant the residents of the informal settlements some form of land
tenure is the root of the crisis in the slums. Most of the informal settlements
are located on City council or government land. These settlements have therefore
been termed 'illegal' and are not officially recognized by the government because
the people living there do not have title deeds. People who live therefore are
declared 'illegal' squatters and are denied all basic urban infrastructure service
including adequate housing running water, toilets, sanitations systems, electricity,
roads, street lights and refuse pick up.
In conclusion the report said that there could be no peace and development in
Nairobi where hundred of thousands of people live in such conditions. (Courtesy
of CISA & AMECEA Justice and Peace)
RELIGIOUS CONTINENTAL CONFERENCE CREATED
Forty delegates from 23 nations in Africa met for a weeklong in Nairobi in
July 2003. In the meeting the delegates laid strategies for establishing an
Africa continental conference of religious men and women. In a press statement
sent to CISA at the end of the meeting on July 11, 2003 the historic meeting
decided for a continental conference as a necessity for the effectiveness of
its work. "In the further hope that a wider network giving more prominent
voice to Africans might strengthen the consecrated life in all parts of the
continent, we opt for a continental conference as a necessity for us,"
the delegates told CISA in the statement entitled, A Continental Conference
for Africa Takes Another Step to be a Reality.
Their desire is to establish a simple, realistic and flexible structure for
a continental conference for consecrated life in Africa and Madagascar. According
to the Secretary General of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences in Africa and
Madagascar (SECAM), Fr. Peter Lwaminda who was one of the speakers, the meeting
was taking place at a critical time in the history of the Catholic Church in
Africa and Madagascar. The Church is facing many challenges that cut across
individual religious congregations and therefore necessary to work and plan
in seeking solutions to the problems.
At the end of the meeting a nine-member Preparatory Team to create a Constitution
for the Conference and prepare for a Constituent Assembly in mid 2005 was elected.
Fr. John Kwofie, CSSp, the president of the Conference of Major Superiors Religious
Men of Ghana was elected Team's Coordinator and Spokesperson. (Courtesy of CISA)
TANZANIA
CHANGE OF NAME
The Religious Women Superiors' Association of Tanzania has changed its name.
It is now Tanzania Catholic Association of Sisters (TCAS). Their contact is:
TCAS
P.O. Box 2133
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
E-mail: tcastanzania@hotmail.com
UGANDA
GULU ARCHBISHOP APPOINTED VATICAN CONSULTOR
Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu Archdiocese in Uganda has been appointed by His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the Congregation of the Evangelization of the Peoples. He is one of the 18 consultors among them four Archbishops from Africa appointed on July 26, 2003. The others are: Archbishops of Johannesburg in South Africa, Dakar in Senegal and Santiago in Cabo Verde (Source: VIS)
LUGAZI DIOCESE LAUNCHES AIDS CAMPAIGN
Bishop Matthias Ssekamanya of Lugazi Catholic Diocese in Uganda has urged the
school administrators to groom students who are spiritually and intellectually
mature. He has launched an aggressive campaign against teenage pregnancies and
HIV/AIDS among the students. He was speaking at St. Lawrence Ssonde School near
Namugongo on Sunday, July 13, 2003 where he commissioned a girls' dormitory
and a school's council. He said "it is absurd that we are losing potential
future leaders when in most African states we still lack effective leaders who
are God-loving and patriotic". He added "unless we get leaders with
those qualities we shall continue to be at the mercy of egoistic leaders."
He said that he will begin supplying schools with videotapes on the two topics
and lamented that the nation was losing many of its potential leaders because
of teenage pregnancies, HIV/AIDS and drug addiction. (Source: CISA & The
New Vision)
BISHOPS' AD LAMINA VISIT
The Catholic Bishops of Uganda will in September 2003, observe the Canonical
obligation pertaining to each individual Ordinary Bishop by going to Rome to
fulfill the Visit Ad Limina. The last time they made this visit was five years
ago.
According to the Laws of the Catholic Church (Canon 399 & 400), every diocesan
Bishop is bound to present a report the Supreme Pontiff every five years concerning
the state of the diocese committed to him, according to a form and at a time
determined by the Apostolic See. This report is technically called the "QUINQUENNIAL
REPORT." It is submitted way long before the actual visit takes place.
During this visit, each bishop meets the Holy Father personally and discusses
issues pertaining to the diocese and to his personal ministry as a Bishop in
privacy.
The Uganda Episcopal Conference will also visit the different Discastries of
the Roman Curia. A report concerning each of the visited department is discussed
and recommendations are made to the different bottlenecks. The Bishops again
as a Conference or as individuals are obliged to visit and venerate the tombs
of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul by celebrating the Holy Eucharist on
the altars elected on their tombs. This is a sign of expressing the continuity
in succession of the ministry began with them.
The Bishops are also expected to celebrate the Holy Eucharist at the Basilica
of Mary Major and at the Basilica of St. John of Lateran.
The Bishops will visit the Discastries of: the Congregation of the Evangelization
of Peoples, Congregation of Divine Worship and Sacraments, Pontifical Council
of Health, Pontifical Council for Family Life, Pontifical Council for Consecrated
Life, Congregation for Education and the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace.
ZAMBIA
CATHOLIC RADIO HOSTS MUSIC FESTIVAL
A Catholic community Radio in Zambia has held a music festival in view of
strengthening and preserving in music the culture of the Tonga people in southern
Zambia region. This event was held from August 29-30, 2003 and attracted more
bands than initially targeted with the theme 'Sharing through Music'. The winners
went home with gifts though no one paid for watching or participating. Radio
Chikuni, which officially started broadcasting in March 2000s, has hosted this
event every year since it's opening.
The festival is one of its kind in the country and has gained a lot of popularity
not only among the people of Southern Province, but also of the whole country.
One of the reason for its starting is to restore a custodian for the Tonga culture
to whom young could look up to; if a culture has to remain the driving force
of any kind of society.
(Courtesy of CISA)
AMECEA SECRETARIAT
BOARD MEETING
AMECEA Executive Board meeting will be held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia September 24-26, 2003.
RADIO SURVEY
AMECEA Social Communications has held the first phase of a Radio Survey after
realizing that in the last five years a number of Catholic radio stations have
opened in the region. It was observed that a number of these radio stations
were doing well while most of them were struggling due to lack of proper foundation
and personnel training.
In Tanzania, the workshop was held in Dar es Salaam from June 11-13, 2003 and
it was a success. The one for Uganda was held from July 16-18 2003 in Kampala
where twelve delegates from the six radio stations in the country attended.
In Zambia it was the first two weeks of August 2-11, 2003. All the workshops
were successful and all the existing radio stations were represented.
This workshop was meant to identify the immediate training needed for the radio
personnel - course content, who should be trained and how.
The second phase will deal with training in techniques of production and audience
study. Training will be based on the outcome of the survey in phase one. It
will be implemented next year after when the funds are available.
ZIMBABWE
CHURCH PROTEST RIGHTS ABUSE
The Churches in Zimbabwe on Saturday July 26, 2003 met President Robert Mugabe
and senior members of his ruling party Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic
Front (ZANU-PF) in an effort to ease tensions between the government and the
main opposition party. Among those who met him are Bishop Patrick Mumbure Mutume
of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Bishop Sebastian Bakare of Zimbabwe Christian
Council and Bishop Trevor Manhanga of the Evangelical Fellowship.
The three church leaders have recently protested on deteriorating human rights
situation in the country after reports that over 170 people had died of malnutrition
in Bulawayo, which is the second -biggest city after Harare. (Courtesy of CISA)
We invite the national and diocesan communications
coordinators and other collaborators to send us information on events in their
religious congregations, dioceses and countries. Send to amecea@amecea.org or
amecea@gatewayonline.co.ke
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