Gathering together in Ethiopia is like a return to the origins of the Church
Gathering together in Ethiopia is like a return to the origins of the Church
Bishop Antonio Camilleri, Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia reiterated his welcome to all the delegations in this land which is, according to the Scriptures, a land where Christians recognize their origins and their belonging to the Church, as Cardinal Souraphiel Berhaneyesus Demerew, President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Ethiopia, had underlined before.
He was delighted for this moment in its fully ecclesial nature, since it is more than a gathering of a parliamentary nature where people theorize on questions of society. It is rather a meeting with the heavenly Father, at the same time as one meets his brothers and sisters. Moreover, it is a meeting of those who welcome each other and travel together, like a “synodos”, as Saint John says, this apostle venerated in this land since the first centuries of the Christian era.
However, this “walking together” which is part of continuity does not exclude discontinuity, especially for a Church which concerned by paying particular attention to everyone, even beyond the divisions that our societies live and in which we learn to listen to each other. This is why synodality means solidarity, mutual support, attention to others… Therefore, it is not a new structure of the Church: it is a matter of doing things which have always been done, but in a renewed way inspired by the Gospel. Above all, it is not a question of the narrative of the majority, but a question of creating spaces for all (Isaiah 54.2; Genesis 26), allowing God to prepare something new for us, in our way of living the Gospel.
Related Articles
+
Select Payment Method
Pay by bank transfer
If you wish to make a donation by direct bank transfer please contact Fr Paul Hamill SJ treasurer@jesuits.africa. Fr Paul will get in touch with you about the best method of transfer for you and share account details with you. Donations can be one-off gifts or of any frequency; for example, you might wish to become a regular monthly donor of small amounts; that sort of reliable income can allow for very welcome forward planning in the development of the Society’s works in Africa and Madagascar.
Often it is easier to send a donation to an office within your own country and Fr Paul can advise on how that might be done. In some countries this kind of giving can also be recognised for tax relief and the necessary receipts will be issued.