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| Group Photo of Workshop Participants |
A total of 35 people participated in the Workshop whose theme was, “Promoting Small Communities in Ethiopia in the Light of Pope Francis’ The Joy of the Gospel” that was held at the Galilee Centre in DebreZeit, Addis Ababa Ethiopia from 17th to 19th February, 2014.
The Participants included representatives from ten Dioceses and various Departments and movements including Pastoral Coordinators and CARITAS department. Those who attended included twenty priests, six religious sisters, seven laymen and two laywomen.
Opening the workshop training Abba Hagos Hayish, CM, Secretary General of the Ethiopian Catholic Bishops Conference stressed on the variety of small communities in Ethiopia that can help implement the recommendations from the document “The Church We Want to Be: Elements for a Common Vision of the Pastoral Action of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia” – (A Pastoral Letter of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ethiopia).
The workshop focused on Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation The Joy of the Gospel and how the teaching of the Holy Father can enrich the deepening of faith, arousing enthusiasm in the faithful and promoting holistic development in strategic pastoral planning. This was stressed in an interview with Archbishop Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, the Archbishop of Addis Ababa, who expressed support for the SCCs in Ethiopia.
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| Fr. Pikiti, Archbishop Berhaneyesus and Fr. Healey |
In the spirit of “learning by doing” participants were divided into three Small Communities with specific names: St. Michael (two small communities) and Blessed Gebremichael, CM for three separate sessions.
Using the SEE – JUDGE – ACT reflection method/process, the participants raised nine challenges among the many issues affecting the Catholic Church and society in Ethiopia. The following were discussed: “Poverty;” “Unemployment;” “Migration of young people both from Ethiopia and from the Catholic Church;” “Ongoing Formation;” “Church and Small Communities;” “Inter-religious and Ecumenical Dialogue;” and “Marriage and Family Life.”
The participants were also brought into an interactive style of teaching and learning. They focused on evaluation, revitalization and the joy of evangelization and pastoral ministry. The group composed a Slogan and Song on the theme “The Joy of the Gospel is my Strength.” A DVD under the theme “The Church in the Neighborhood: Small Christian Communities” was presented to the participants and it included Segment I on “Life and Activities of SCCs” and Segment II on “Services (Ministries) in the SCC.”
After studying Pope Francis’ The Joy of the Gospel and input on Small Christian Communities, the participants came up with the recommendations for action:
- Training selected pastoral agents on The Joy of the Gospel.
- Planning and scheduling Training of Trainers (TOT) Workshops on The Joy of the Gospel on the diocesan and parish levels.
- Translate The Joy of the Gospel into the local languages.
- Making a summary of the document and disseminating to communities and parishes.
- Creating a forum for discussion, reflection and sharing at various levels.
- Establishing Small Christian Communities (SCCs) and evaluating and revitalizing the Mahber in the dioceses and parishes.
This is the third in a series of National Small Christian Communities’ Workshops in the nine AMECEA countries that took place in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. The Workshop was facilitated by Fr. FebianPikiti and Fr. Joseph Healey, MM and was sponsored by the Pastoral Department of the Ethiopia Catholic Church in conjunction with the Pastoral Department of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA).The first two Workshops took place last year in Zambia and Malawi.
SOURCE: Fr. Joseph Healey, MM and AMECEA Pastoral Department