Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
During the two-day meeting at JCAM’s Secretariat in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, from 2-3 November, JCAM’s President Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator highlighted that the initiative by the two conferences “is a way of generating ideas, resources and materials to accompany, support and facilitate the synodal process at local and regional levels in Africa.”
Basing his sharing on the Synod theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission,” Fr. Orobator noted that the initiative is designed around three interconnected axes; reflection, communication/formation and convening.
He explained that the reflection axis calls on theologians to “explore essential themes emphasized in the synodal documents and by Pope Francis, including synodality, listening, the Holy Spirit, discernment, participation/ inclusion, methodology, Small Christian Communities, parishes, African models and practices.”
“The outcomes will be developed into a web-based/printed pocketbook or handbook on synodality,” the Jesuit priest explained while addressing the participants online.
Concerning communication and formation Fr. Orobator said that there is need to “create simple, high quality and accessible communication material on synodality as part of the preparatory process,” in collaboration with a reputable and experienced media organization.
“The material will be informative and formative and destined to be disseminated via social media platforms and also use practical settings to form, train and build the capacity of local personnel who play key roles in the preparatory phases of the synod including contact persons, facilitation teams, coordinators, local bishops, clergy and religious.
When it comes to convening he said, the Conferences need to network with diverse local and international experts to “generate and create high quality reflection on synodality that is translatable into concrete initiatives and resources aimed at enhancing the understanding of the meaning and practice of synodality and building the capacity of a variety of stakeholders.”
On his part the secretary General of AMECEA Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Makunde reminded participants that the Church has invited everybody to journey together “irrespective of one’s position in the Church.”
He noted that as collaborators, “Even though the synod will come to pass, the Spirit of the synodal journey is here to stay since it’s a new way of responding to our faith, a new way of living the word of God, a new way of practicing our Christian values, a new way of relating to ourselves, our fellow Catholics, non-Christian Catholics and non- Christians.
He emphasized making good use of Small Christian Communities (SCC’s) as a basis for the sydonal journey “since it is a treasure in the region and has become part of us.”
“Theologians should now help us come up with new ways of listening, new ways of thinking in the SCC’s so this can be a unique contribution from the African continent to the Universal Church,” Fr. Makunde said.