By Mwenya Mukuka
A three-day workshop in Zambia’s capital Lusaka, that brought together for the first time the Coordinators from the Promotion of Integral Human Development and Social Communications Departments from the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region, saw participants from five conferences engage in a collective workshop and networking.
Speaking when he officially opened the meeting, Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB)’s Bishop Director for Communications Commission Rt. Rev. Moses Hamungole reminded the participants of the mission of the AMECEA founding fathers.
“As you begin meeting as AMECEA Secretariat and other collaborators in the region, I would like to remind you of the quest of the founding fathers of AMECEA which was pastoral collaboration and solidarity of all Bishops conferences in the region,” Said Bishop Hamungole.
Bishop Hamungole who acknowledged the coming together of different commissions, said it is sign of their efforts in realizing the dream of AMECEA’s founding fathers which is the desire to continue responding to the various challenges of the family of God in the region.
“As we plan for the future, we need to ask ourselves how the Church in the AMECEA region prepare herself to address the inevitable challenges affecting her today,” he said.
He further asked how prepared the conferences in AMECEA region, are to move on successfully and confidently with Jesus’ mission in the contemporary world.
“Your coming together as AMECEA Secretariat and coordinators is very important for the Bishops in the region, they look at you as partners in identifying needs and implementing pastoral resolutions. You are their think tanks,” he observed.
He further acknowledged that AMECEA Secretariat which is moving forward the pastoral agenda by the association by addressing pertinent issues affecting the region.
The meeting which commenced on Tuesday, February 10 discussed various topics including radicalization into violent extremism, caring for the natural environment, child safeguarding and Migrants and trafficked persons among other.
In his closing remarks on Thursday, February 13, Bishop Hamulonge of Zambia’s Monze Diocese reminded the participants of the need of bringing new energy to the Church.
Quoting the Pope Francis’ Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Querida Amazona”he said, “Everything that the Church has to offer must become incarnate in a distinctive way in each part of the world so that the bride of Christ can take a variety of faces that better manifest the inexhaustible niches of God’s face.”
Besides, “remember that whatever work you do, it is to promote the mission of the Church in AMECEA region,” he concluded.