AMECEA Correspondents
After Pope Francis’ inauguration of the two-year preparation of the 16th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops October 9and 10, Dioceses in the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region have launched the same process between 16th and 17th October, asking for the Holy Spirit to guide the synodality journey. 
Synod Launch Tanzania
Themed “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission,” Pope Francis invites the entire Church to journey together, listen to each other and “initiate discernment in our time, becoming in solidarity with the toils and desires of humanity.”
The Church in Zambia
The Catholic Bishops in Zambia have, launched activities in their respective dioceses to popularise the process and allow Christians have an input in the process.
According to Diocesan radio Icengelo reporter, Valentine Mukuka, Bishop of Ndola, Rt. Rev. Dr. Benjamin Phiri asked the faithful to pray that God imparts the Holy Spirit to lead and protect the Church during the Synodal process.
Bishop Phiri said this while celebrating mass to launch the process in his diocese at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Ndola.
"We pray for the Holy Spirit that he may be upon us, he may protest us, protect us, guide us and may lead us so that whatever we are going to do in this process and in our daily lives as people who are advancing the cause for God in this Diocese that it may indeed be something that will make Jesus proud so that when he looks at us he can say yes you are my brother, yes you are my sister, yes you are my mother. That will happen only when our light shines forth within ourselves," he preached.
Towards the end of the celebration, Bishop Phiri gave lit candles as symbols of celebrating Synod to each Dean and sent them forth as a way of launching the celebration of the Synod.
At the same Eucharistic celebration, Diocesan Vocations Director Rev. Fr. Shula Muleba introduced the celebration of the Synod of Bishops to the congregation.
“At the end of this Synodal journey we are not going to produce one and well written document but the fruit of this journey will be a people animated, fully participating in the life of the Church. All of us realising that communion with which we are called by sharing in the one life of the Trinity and all of us participating, being held together by that common sense of faith and ultimately all of us realising that one nature by which we are called. The Salvation of souls that we exist to Evangelise,” Fr. Muleba said.
The Church in Ethiopia
The Archdiocese of Addis Ababa Sunday, October 17, joined Dioceses across the world in kicking off its synodal process. In his message delivered at the inauguration Holy mass, His Eminence Demerew SouraphielCardinal Berhaneyesus the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE), urges representatives of clerical ministries and lay apostolates to walk together, in communion, being open for the participation of all, listening to one another excluding nobody and discerning the will of the Holy Spirit for a synodal Church.
Pastoral ministry coordinators in Ethiopia discussed on the Synod 2023 processes on their Annual Gathering 9th– 10th of October 2021 and directions given to officially open the Synod process on the 17th of October in each diocese.
Pope Francis invites the whole Church to look at itself on Synodality, which is a decisive theme for the life and mission of the Church. This process is taking two years journey (2021-2023). This will be a good opportunity to reflect, share and listen to each other among the family of the whole Church. The Theme of the Synodal journey of the entire Church is Communion, Participation and Mission
As a preparation of the launching, the Pastoral Services Coordinators of all Dioceses gathered in Addis Ababa at the General Secretariat of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference on Oct. 13 and 14, 2021. The agents discussed and set directions how the two years long process of the Synod will be organized in all dioceses in Ethiopia. Cardinal Berhaneyesus opened the gathering with the synodal prayer recited in Amharic. His Grace Antoine Camillieri the Ambassador of the Holy See warmly expressed the essence of the Church's Synodality and the suggested tools for Reflecting, Sharing, and Responding to the questions of the Synod. He also clarified about the processes of the consultation in the diocese for the first phase of the Synod. The key features of the process of the Synod are methods which entails dialogue that enable people to have a concrete experience of synodality. It is also expected to be inclusive of the minorities, women and youth.
H.G the Ambassador said that the coming synod a very special one for it is not just for only Bishops but rather an invitation to every individual in parishes, dioceses and regional coordination to take part in the processes of building up the Church. Nobody will be excluded but all are invited to participate, to be listened and listen each other.
Awareness raising and launching ceremonies celebrated in Holy Mass in other dioceses in Ethiopia too on Oct. 16 and 17, 2021.
The Church in Kenya
Marking the launch on Saturday, October 16, Bishop David Kamau the Apostolic Administrator of Archdiocese of Nairobi quoted Pope Francis message on synodal journey saying, “It is this path of synodality which God expects of the Church: to journey together the laity, Clergy, religious and bishops.”
‘Synodality is an easy concept to put in words but not in practice,” the Bishop said reminding the faithful that it is a journey that has a “soul” which is the Holy Spirit.
The Bishop highlighted some roles of the diocesan liaison persons who will spearhead the two year journey till 2023 including among others; guiding the faithful on way forward, inviting parishes, institutions, groups and other ecclesiastical bodies in the synodal process and offering training to those responsible.
On his part, the Bishop of Kenya’s Malindi Diocese issued a Decree inaugurating the synod process calling on the people of God in the Diocese “to become better at listening and discerning so that we move forward together in solidarity with the struggles and aspirations of all humanity.”
“The Holy Father invites the Churches to dedicate substantial resources to listen to the joys and sorrows of all especially to people who frequently remain in the church periphery like abused teenage girls and mothers, couples in unsolemnized marriages, polygamists, divorced, landless and street families, human trafficked and vulnerable migrants, abandoned babies and elders,” reads part of Bishop Willybard Lagho’s decree adding that, “ the Synod offers us the opportunity to discern and listen to fellow pilgrim including many others who worship differently including atheists.”
“I am therefore calling upon all pastoral leaders especially the parish priests to renew and redesign holisticparish pastoral programs only after discerning divergent, legitimate and authentic voice of the people they serve including those considered as outsiders,” the Prelate said asking all the faithful to pray for the extraordinary moment of renewal of the universal and local Church through the intercession of the holy family.