Stella Zulu
The Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (COMSAM) has asked the women Religious through the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) to consider working together with Religious men by letting them join the association.
This was said on Thursday, the 26th of August, 2021 during the 18th ACWECA Plenary Assembly taking place in Nairobi, Kenya under the theme “Re-awaken our prophetic Call: Call for Reformation towards Holistic Transformation in the region today”.
Presenting the proposal to the assembly, Rev Fr. Kipoy Pombo from the Democratic Republic of Congo and President for COMSAM said that during the 2018 COMSAM assembly which took place in Cameroon, the Holy See asked the Confederation to help all Major Superior Conferences in Africa and Madagascar to bring forth communion among the Religious. The Cardinal Prefect then asked COMSAM to approach ACWECA and request that they consider including men in the Association for better evangelization.
“The aim of the Holy See is that the Religious in Africa should work together in proclaiming the Good News while maintaining and respecting each other’s charisma, to help all Congregations with guidance for the formation with regard to COMSAM’s understanding and plan for Religious life in Africa, and also to coordinate all the services between the Major Superior Conferences whether national or international,” said Fr. Pombo
Reacting to the issue, the assembly gave various suggestions which they said have to be considered before the inclusion is done.
Some of the issues that came out included that with regard to Africa, it would be better that the inclusion should start in Conferences then be introduced to ACWECA; and that Religious men should form their own body first with their own activities before they are incorporated in the activities of ACWECA.
The Sisters went on to say that considering how complex this may be, Africa ought to learn from the other continents (like Asia, Europe and America) which have such arrangement and how they are coordinated and then see what can work.
Concluding the discussion, ACWECA president Sister Cecilia Jere said ACWECA is not rejecting the Holy See’s recommendation but rather that the modality needs to be discerned and discussed. She therefore said to have and effective way forward, a separate committee to look into the matter will be put in place.
