The African Synodality Initiative invites you to a Zoom webinar on synodality and the laity.

Synodality evokes the original nature of the Church walking forward together, listening to the Holy Spirit, and participating in the mission of the Church. This synod is intended to help the Church rediscover her purpose of “journeying together.” During the diocesan synodal phase, the People of God have been invited to reflect on how this is happening today in their local churches.

Join us in this synodal conversation with our panellists, who will share their insights on how this journeying together is taking place at the local church level: Dr. Camillus Kassala, Dr. Mary Shawa, Nicole Facheux and Samuel Zan Akologo.

Panellists

Dr. Camillus Kassala (Tanzania) is the Executive Secretary of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Department of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference. He works with the Interfaith Standing Committee for Socioeconomic Justice and Integrity of Creation in the Extractive Industry (mining, oil and gas). The Committee comprises the leaders of Christian and Muslim faith communities in Tanzania. He visits dioceses to give seminars on Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on caring for the Earth, our common home. He is coordinating synodality activities for St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Dr. Mary Shawa (Malawi) is the President of the Legion of Mary for Maula Senatus, a Catholic lay apostolate dedicated to personal sanctification and evangelisation of people. She is a member of the National Laity Council and Development Committee for St. Patrick’s Parish of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, Malawi. She established the Girl Guides and Scout movement at St. Patrick’s and enjoys working with the youth. She has served as a Principal Secretary for the Ministries of Health; Office of the Present and Cabinet; Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare; Transport and Public Works of the Government of Malawi.

Nicole Facheux (Cameroon) is a Life Educator who has received training in spiritual accompaniment, retreat direction and safeguarding of minors. She serves as the Secretary of the Chaplaincy Committee of Hekima University College (HUC) and as a catechist for the Francophone Catholic Community of Nairobi (CCFN), Kenya. She holds a Master’s and Licentiate in Sacred Theology from HUC. Her field of interests include: pastoral theology and different ways of systematising the Christian lived experience of the encounter with Christ, as a continual renewal in the Spirit and as a constant force for the Church. She is a wife and a mother of three.

Samuel Zan Akologo (Ghana) is Africa Manager of a joint campaign by SECAM, the Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA) and Caritas Africa for Africa Inclusive Economic Recovery. He is the immediate former Head of Department of Human Development of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Caritas Ghana. He has over 25 years of Civil Society activism, locally and internationally. He advises the Bishops of Africa and Madagascar (Symposium for Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar – SECAM) on governance and public policy matters. He serves as a member of the Laudato Si’ Action Group of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development to realise Pope Francis’ call for action on protecting the environment. He is the Coordinator of the Multifaith Alliance of Catholic, Mainstream Christian and Muslim Groups in Ghana. He has been married for over 35 years and has four adult children.

Moderator

Beatrice Mumbi (Kenya) is the Safeguarding Coordinator for the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM). She teaches a safeguarding course at Hekima University College, under the auspices of the Jesuit Centre for Safeguarding in Africa (JCSA) in Nairobi, Kenya. JCSA was established to equip people working with children in the Church with child protection skills. She recently co-edited a book titled Creating a Consistent Culture of Safeguarding in Church and Society: Perspectives from Africa (2022).

The discussion will be available in English and French.

Click here to register for the event

The African Synodality Initiative is a partnership between the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar and the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa.