AMECEA NEWS 9/1999
MEETINGS
ANNUAL COMMUNICATIONS MEETING
The 30th AMECEA Annual Social Communications Meeting will be held in the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (C.U.E.A.) Nairobi, Kenya, from 26th -31st July 1999. The meeting will be held alongside the 13th AMECEA Plenary Assembly which will also be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 25th July - 8th August 1999.
SECOND MEETING OF THE ZAMBIA NATIONAL FORUM
The Zambia National Forum is unique in AMECEA countries as it unites every year bishops, priests, religious and lay people to look together at some of the pressing pastoral problems facing their Church. Forty-six (46) participants discussed how to make the Zambian Church more of a family and what attitudes are needed for a fruitful dialogue among tall members of the Church.
They evaluated the Church structures and reaffirmed that Small Christians Communities (SCC) "are central to the life and faith of God's family". But they also insisted that "the way these SCCs are organized and structured needs to be flexible, adapted to the cultural and social context, and open to change".
The Forum discussed self-reliance following the request of the African Synod that "each Christian community be organized in such a way that as far as possible it can provide for its own needs". (EIA 44)
At the end of their two-day session the National Forum reaffirmed its objectives:
· To share knowledge, information and experiences, so as to foster unity
and pastoral solidarity as God's family.
· To identify, study and make recommendations on issues connected with
our life together as God's family and evangelizing mission as Christ's Church.
FORMATION OF AGENTS OF EVANGELIZATION
Thirteen pastoral theologians from AMECEA Countries met at the Carmelite Centre,
Nairobi-Kenya, from 12th -16th April 1999 to exchange on the academic and the
practical pastoral formation of seminarians and seek ways to make their pastoral
formation more relevant and effective in the light of guidelines of "Pastores
Dabo Vobis" and of the African Synod. As the Bishops of AMECEA countries
will meet for their plenary session this year to discuss the "Formation
of Agents of Evangelization for the Church-as-Family", the theologians
made the following recommendations:
· There is need for a common policy in the region on the pastoral formation
of the agents of evangelization;
· Pastoral formation of seminarians is a shared responsibility of the
seminary staff and the home dioceses hence there is need for co-operation in
the supervision of the seminarians during their pastoral period by both;
· Importance of training teachers and co-ordinators for the pastoral
programme and using them according to their qualifications cannot be overemphasized;
· Pastoral formation is not a project that is fulfilled and completed
with ordination hence need for regular ongoing formation courses for the priests
in ministry;
· Pastoral effectiveness of priests is related to questions of financial
security hence needs to address the questions of remuneration, health-care and
retirement plans for them.
TRAINING
PASTORAL COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL ACTION
The department of Social Communications of the Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) and the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA organized a 3-month training course for national and diocesan communication co-ordinators of their regions on pastoral communication and social action. The course was held in IMBISA center, Harare-Zimbabwe from January 18 - April 18, 1999. It was inaugurated by the Most Rev. peter Paul Prabhu, the Apostolic Nuncio to Zimbabwe, who called the participants to be a grain of mustard seed and yeast in a batch of dough.
The course was attended by 18 participants laity and religious drawn from 7
countries of Eastern and Southern Africa. Thirteen (13) participants represented
AMECEA region from Tanzania (4), Zambia (6), Uganda (2) and Kenya (1) who was
representing AMECEA Communications Department. Among the subjects tackled were
· Theology of communication,
· Media education and ethics,
· Church documents on social communication,
· Participatory communication for development,
· Press, print and electronic media,
· Information flow, news agencies and new world information and communication
order,
· Church and public relations,
· Pastoral communication,
· Practical journalism,
· Audio-visual language.
The main problems highlighted by the participants are appointment to the communications office with no job description, lack of moral support from both leaders and the laity and misplacement of manpower without utilizing the knowledge acquired fully.
During the training the participants got an overall view of what their responsibility implies and a vision of the kind of Church they are called to serve. Many practical exercises and reference materials were issued for reference purposes. They proposed a follow-up course and called for cooperation and moral support fro all people of good will. They thanked their bishops, superiors, donors and all those who enabled them to be trained successfully. They were very promising from what they did and wrote in their communications pastoral plans and hence most of the ideals and skills acquired at the course will lead to greater things within the two regions. They were called to pluck weed and plant flowers where they think flowers would grow.
APPOINTMENTS
NEWS SECRETARY GENERAL FOR SUDAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
The Sudan Catholic Bishops' Regional Conference (SCBRC) has appointed and installed Fr. Damian Adugu a Sudanese priest from Yei Diocese as the new Secretary General of their conference. He has pursued studies in anthropology and practical theology in U.S.A. and also he was the director of the PALICA in Juba.
The SCBRC is an integral part of the Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference (SCBC) which in 1997 obtained the final approval from Rome to have a regional conference. It comprises of five dioceses in liberated area of Yei, El Obeid, Torit, Rumbek and Tombura-Yambio.
The main functions of Fr. Damian will be: to familiarize with the affairs of the catholic Church in each diocese and assist the bishops in development of their programmes, liaison person and spokesperson for the bishops, liaison with the Secretary General of SCBC in Khartoum, better communication between the bishops and their respective dioceses, official/representative of the bishops in the area overall coordinator of meetings, traveling and visits into Sudan by Church people, donors in any of the dioceses, facilitate the training of lay and religious administrators and in other administration and logistical work.
The SCBRC has a particular significance in the preparation of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 and also celebration of the Centenary of Evangelization of the Sudan.
Fr. Damian will reside in Nairobi, Kenya during the present conflict in the Sudan.
TANZANIA
MBULU DIOCESE GETS A BISHOP
On February 9, 1999, the Holy Father announced the appointment of Fr. Jude Thade Ruwa'ichi, OFM Cap., as the new bishop of Mbulu Diocese in Tanzania. He has succeeded the late Rt. Rev. Nicodemus Hhando.
Bishop-Elect Ruwa'ichi was born at Mulo-Kilena in Moshi Diocese on January 30, 1954. After attending St. James Minor Seminary at Kibosho, and then the Capuchin Novitiate at Kasita in Mahenge Diocese, he studied theology at St. Paul's Major Seminary Kipalapala. He mad his perpetual profession on January 11, 1981 and was ordained a priest on November 25, 1982.
He studied in Rome obtaining a Licentiate in Philosophy from the Gregorian University. He has been Vice-Provincial, notice master at Kasita, the Order's vocations promoter; parish priest, professor of philosophy and assistant to the Director of the Franciscan House of Studies in Livingstone (Zambia) and the St. Bonaventure College Lusaka, dean of studies, provincial counselor. Since 1994 he has been the General Definator and presently a member of the general council of Friars Minor in Rome. He will be ordained a bishop of Mbulu on May 16, 1999.
SAME DIOCESE GETS A BISHOP
The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, nominated Fr. Jacob Koda as the new bishop of Same. He has succeeded Most Rev. Josaphat Louis Lebulu who was transferred to Arusha Archdiocese last December.
He was born in Kilomeni in Same on December 9, 1957. After elementary school he went to St. Peter's Minor Seminary at Morogoro, then to St. James Kiboshi, Moshi and then for theology at Kipalapala Seminary (Tabora). On June 25, 1987 he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Same. Since then he has been Vicar co-operator for Same Cathedral and Vice-co-ordinator for development and then assistant parish priest at Ganja-Kighare. He went for studies at Lateran University, Rome, for a degree in pastoral Theology and a diploma in social sciences at St. Thomas Aquinas University (Rome). Since 1995 he has been a professor of Pastoral Theology at St. Charles Lwanga Major Seminary, Segerea, Dar es Salaam, as well as assistant Spiritual Director. He was also a member of the college of Consultants of the Diocese of Same.
DIOCESE OF SINGIDA GETS A BISHOP
The Holy Father Pope John Paul II has appointed Fr. Desiderius Rwoma as the new Bishop of Singida Diocese. Fr. Rwoma was born on May 8, 1947 at Ilogero Village, Rutoba in Bukoba. After his elementary studies he went to Ntungamo Major Seminary in Bukoba for philosophical studies and at Kipalapala Major Seminary for theology studies. He was ordained priest on July 24, 1974 at his home parish.
He has worked as an assistant parish priest; teacher, vice-rector and spiritual at the minor seminary; chaplain and Vicar General of the same diocese.
UGANDA
NEBBI GETS A NEW BISHOP
The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, on January 2, 1999 nominated the Rt. Rev. Martin Luluga as the new bishop of Nebbi Diocese to replace Archbishop John Baptist Odama who was appointed the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Gulu Ecclesiastical Province. Bishop Luluga is the former bishop of Gulu.
ARCHDIOCESE OF KAMPALA GETS AN AUXILIARY BISHOP
The Holy Father on January 2, 1999 nominated Fr. Christopher Kakooza, as an Auxiliary Bishop of Kampala Archdiocese. He was the Vicar General of the same Diocese.
Fr. Kakooza was born on November 15, 1952 in Lusaze, Kampala. After his elementary studies he entered St. Mbaaga Seminary for late vocations to study philosophy. For theology he was sent to the Pontifical urban College, Rome. One June 3, 1993 he was ordained a priest. He worked as a teacher at Nyenga minor seminary, rector as the same seminary, assistant and then as parish priest at Kamwokya.
AUXILIARY BISHOP FOR FORT PORTAL DIOCESE
The Holy Father on January 2, 1999 nominated Fr. Joseph Mugenyi Sabiiti as an auxiliary bishop for Fort Portal Diocese. He was born on May 9, 1948 at Nyansozi in Fort Portal diocese. After attending the local minor seminary he entered the National Major Seminary in Katigondo, and then studied theology at Ggaba National Major Seminary.
He was ordained a priest on June 1, 1975. He has worked as an assistant parish priest at Kasanga. He went for further studies at Notre Dame University South Bend and Indiana University, USA. He was also a teacher at St. Augustine's Teachers' College in Fort Portal and a parish priest at Bukwali and since 1993 at Welkomiire parish.
KENYA
CANONICAL ERECTION OF THE BLESSED BAKANJA
The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples has, on December 18, 1998, canonically erected Blessed Bakanja College as a new regional Major Seminary of Theology for AMECEA. He also appointed His Grace Archbishop Raphael Simon Ndingi Mwana 'a Nzeki Archbishop of Nairobi as the immediate responsible for the ordinary administration of the College on behalf of the AMECEA Bishops and appointed Rev. Fr. Patrick Maliti as the first College Rector. The Blessed Bakanja College forms the First Cycle of CHIEA/CUEA. Fr. Maliti was born on December 4, 1949 in Machakos Kenya. He went for his elementary studies in Mbooni Primary and his theological studies in St. Thomas Aquinas seminary, Nairobi. He was ordained a priest on June 27, 1976 for the Diocese of Machakos.
He has worked as a diocesan education secretary and a vocations director. He went for studies at Urbaniana University in Rome. He was a lecturer in System Theology at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, Kenya. He was appointed the rector for the same seminary and also St. Matthias Mulumba National Seminary. He worked also as a parish priest before he was nominated rector.
UGANDA
MORE ECCLESIASTICAL PROVINCES
On January 2, 1999, the Holy Father Pope John Paul II created three more ecclesiastical
provinces in Uganda. The reasons for the division of the existing Kampala ecclesiastical
province and creating three new ones; Gulu, Mbarara and Tororo, are:
· Need to co-ordinate evangelization;
· Provide adequate and organized pastoral assistance;
· Facilitate judiciary and administration matters.
The present metropolitans see of Kampala will remain with Kasana-Luweero, Kiyinda-Mityana, Lugazi and Masaka suffragans. Gulu Ecclesiastical province will have Arua, Lira and Nebbi suffragans and Bishop John Baptist Odama the former bishop of Nebbi Diocese, was appointed as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Gulu. Mbarara ecclesiastical province will have Fort Portal, Hoima, Kabale and Kasese suffragans and the present Bishop Paul Bakyenga was appointed the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Mbarara while Tororo ecclesiastical province will have Jinja, Kotido, Moroto and Soroti as suffragans and the present Bishop James Odongo was appointed as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Tororo.
TANZANIA
NEW ECCLESIASTICAL PROVINCE
On March 16, 1999 His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, created a new ecclesiastical province of Arusha in Tanzania. It will have Moshi, Same and the president of Tanzania Episcopal Conference from 1988-1994. Archbishop Lebulu is the current President of AMECEA and the Chancellor of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA)
ETHIOPIA
NEW SECRETARY GENERAL
The Ethiopia Episcopal Conference has appointed Rev. Abba Tsegaye Kaneni of Archdiocese of Addis Ababa as the new Secretary General of its Secretariat. He has replaced Rev. Abba Kidane Mariam Ghebray who served since 1985.
Abba Tsegaye has a wide range of experience in pastoral and social activities of the Church.
PASTORAL LETTERS
MALAWI
BRINGING OF THE AFRICAN SYNOD HOME TO MALAWI
On the occasion of the 2nd Anniversary of the launching of the implementation of the resolutions of the African Synod, September 1998, the Bishops of Malawi presented their reflections in a pastoral letter "Walking Together-Bringing of the African Synod Home to Malawi: Second Anniversary". As a form of coordinating their efforts of implementing the recommendations of the Synod, they decided to establish, both on the Diocesan and National levels a structure that would be responsible for the study and research five themes of the Synod and then made recommendations to the Conference on what could be implemented within the local Church.
This Commission consisted of experts from various fields: Canon Law, Dogmatic and Systematic Theology, Liturgy, Bible and Education. Through this Commission the Bishops came up with a three period programme from 1996 to the Great Jubilee in the year 2000. Having formed this network the actual implementation of the Synod was to be coordinated by the National Commission stage through its recommendations to Bishops' Conference and that was to begin within their period one which was March 1996 to Pentecost 1998.
In January 1997 this commission presented its plan on the implementation of the topic "Formation of Agents of Evangelization" to the Conference. With the effort of the National Pastoral Department and the National African Synod Commission, week long workshops were carried out in all seven dioceses to priests on the functions of Small Christian Communities (SCC's), use of Bible and on forms of leadership. The Bishops have expressed a lot of appreciation on this.
In June 1997 a new commission approved by the Conference was asked to come up with pastoral guidelines on Inculturation that would make a study and research on this very important topic. The commission is eagerly waiting for a feedback of a questionnaire which they came up with in February and sent to priests and selected groups of laity. Since inculturation is a "difficult and delicate task" (Ibid. 62), the council entrusted the task of inculturation to either the Diocesan Bishop or the appropriate territorial ecclesiastical authority, such as the Bishops' Conference and no one individual.
"…The Conference has observed, however, that while we are still waiting for the much needed pastoral guidelines on how to go about implementing inculturation, various parishes, diocese, religious communities are already coming up with many initiatives in our efforts to make Evangelization take flesh in our culture. The area that has experienced a lot of experiments a lot of experiments for the past few years is the Holy Mass. Various cultural elements are being introduced into the Holy Mass on varying degrees. And the reaction to these well-intentioned adaptation are also varied ranging from annoyance, happiness to confusion by both the clergy and the laity. Understandably, the People of God are looking up to us, their Pastors, for guidance. As already pointed out, the Council has entrusted the ultimate guidance on these matters to either the Diocesan Bishop or, in our case, the Conference. This is because Liturgy by its nature is public, and not individual worship and the Bishop is the High Priest in the diocese. The Bishop is therefore to make sure that in his diocese the Church, through the liturgy, continues to effectively exercise the priesthood of Christ…"
Having appreciated the good intention behind all this initiatives the Bishops also noticed with concern the lack of coordination of efforts in this importance and sensitive area.
UGANDA
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
The Bishops of Uganda having reflected on the situation within their country and within the region (the Great lake region), came up with a pastoral letter which was launched in Kampala, January 1999. In this letter the Bishops of Uganda have strongly expressed their concern of the fundamental rights and freedom of an individual as one of the most significant rights document of the modern world. "Its aim was and still is to ensure peace in every nation and among nations through the strict observance of human rights".
They ask the people not to lose sight that many Ugandans in the north and west of the country are terribly suffering from armed conflicts and absence of security. Some have no food or shelter. They make an appeal to all Catholics and Ugandans of good will to be committed in knowing, observing and promoting the rights of everyone in order to have true peace in the nation and the region.
"We are extremely worried by the danger which threatens our entire region with war. We consider it our religious, moral and ethical duty to raise our voices and warn everybody concerned to beware lest we be consumed by the flames of war."
They call on all fellow Christians and people of goodwill to show generosity, through donation of the necessary items for life, to all those who suffer.
WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY
The 33rd World Communications Day will be celebrated all over the world on Sunday May 16, 1999. His Holiness Pope John Paul II issued the Papal Message on January 24, 1999. The theme will be "Mass Media: a friendly companion for those in search of the Father".
In his message, the Holy Father calls the media to work with God rather than against him and to be a friendly companion to those searching for God's loving presence in their lives. He also said that faith and reason are like two wings upon which human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.
He also said that the media will only be more friendly companion to all people
through presenting them with news wedded to remembrance, information wedded
to wisdom and entertainment wedded to joy for the good of humanity.