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| Group Photo of Ethiopian Bishops and Staff members at ECS |
The Ethiopian Catholic Church is currently celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Bishops’ Conference. The Motto of the celebration is “get up and eat for the journey is still long” (1kg 19:7) taken from one of the first Pastoral letters of the Conference.
As part of the celebration a symposium and an exhibition show casing the Church’s development in the past 50 years is organized on December 3 – 5, 2014 in Addis Ababa. His Grace Archbishop Berhaneyesus, Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa and President of the Conference as well as Chairman of AMECEA, His Grace Luigi Bianco, Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia and all the Bishops of Ethiopia will attend the symposium.
Fr. Hagos Hayish, C.M., Secretary General of ECS and Executive Director of the ECC Social Development Commission said that the Church in Ethiopia has a long history of successful accomplishments in her pastoral and social efforts to achieve an integral human development. “Currently we have 631 running schools of all levels, more than 85 health institutions, we work to achieve sustainable development through our food security and livelihood projects and run many social rehabilitation and women promotion centers,” Fr. Hagos said.
He added, “the Catholic Church in Ethiopia is a pioneer in many sectors; this symposium will give us the opportunity to reflect on our success in the past and plan for a better future.”
The Symposium will also be graced with the presence of His Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Oriental Churches on the last day.
Currently the Ethiopian Catholic Church has 12 jurisdictions (1 Archdiocese, 2 Eparchies, 8 Vicariates, 1 Prefecture and 1 Pastoral Territory). The Church is present in all the regions of the Country and has a well established relationship with the Federal and Regional Government lines.
The Catholic Church in Ethiopia is also a founding member of the Ethiopian Inter-Religious Council where she makes a considerable contribution for Ecumenism and religious tolerance in the country.
Source: Makeda Yohannes, ECS Communications and Public Relations Officer