The Small Christian Communities (SCC) of Ndola Diocese in Zambia is a big success despite of the challenge of having fewer men attending in Ndola Diocese.
Speaking to AMECEA Online News in Nairobi, Rt. Rev Alick Banda, Bishop of Ndola said that having fewer men attending SCCs is a scenario which is also found in many other Dioceses and countries within AMECEA and thus should need a common pastoral approach to tackle the problem. However, he said, there are other SCCs that are male dominated, where men are the majority in his diocese.
He said that SCCs are very well established throughout the diocese of Ndola such that catechesis, pastoral meetings and preparations for all kinds of celebrations are all done through the Small Christian Communities.
“Small Christian Communities are now more of local churches while the parish is only a center of celebrations. We live our lives in the Small Christian Communities where our own challenges, difficulties and joys are shared,” he explained.
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| Rt. Rev. Alick Banda, Bishop of Ndola |
The Bishop added that SCCs provide avenues for people come to know one another at very closer level and give solidarity to each other where necessary. “If someone is facing certain challenges, other members swiftly move in to assist and if one is having a celebration then it is also that Small Christian Community you belong that comes in to celebrate with you,” he said adding that “For us it has really become as a bonus because it translates our lives the way we are both in difficulties as well as happiness.”
For young adults who often feel that they are too old to participate in the SCCs for the youth or do not fit well in the SCCs dominated by elderly people; the Bishop said that they have resolved the problem by creating SCCs for young adults taking into consideration age issue. “By so doing, these young adults are able to integrate well and share their experiences with one another,” he said.
Ndola Diocese which politically and geographically falls in the copper belt of Zambia is geographically the smallest diocese in the country but the most populated with almost two million inhabitants out of which 860,000 are Catholics. The diocese has 89 parishes.
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Social Communications