Catholic Bishops say threat to family life is more now than ever before

Catholic Bishops in the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) say the threat to the family in AMECEA region is now more real than ever before as the crisis of marriage and the family has been increased by individualism in the contemporary society, breakdown of morals, and attacks on the family unit, poverty and unemployment.

The bishops have pledged that as a Church in the region, they will endeavour to protect the family which is the domestic Church against all these dangers.

“We commit ourselves to pastoral care of broken families and all those who are going through difficulties in their families. We also condemn all forms of domestic violence. We affirm institution of marriage as an indissoluble union of love between a man and a woman open to procreation and denounce any attempt to redefine this institution. Family life must be respected, promoted and protected so that it can provide men and women who can weave a social fabric of peace and harmony. We strongly condemn same sex unions and other deviations that go against human nature and natural law,” Read the Communiqué presented by Most Rev. Berhaneyesus Souraphiel, the new AMECEA Chairman.

“We urge for the protection and defence of the family at all costs as that is the beginning and pillar of human life and society. We seek to enable the family to be an instrument of New Evangelisation which is truly African and truly Christian. We welcome and await the fruits of the forth coming extra ordinary synods on marriage and family life.,” The Communiqué added.

Meanwhile the Catholic Bishops are saddened by the on-going conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia and other parts of the world.

In a communiqué at the end of their 18th AMECEA Plenary Assembly in Lilongwe, 16th to 26th July, 2014, the Bishops deplored the suffering of the people in those countries.

“We strongly advocate for a peaceful resolution to these conflicts and remain committed as Catholic Bishops in AMECEA region to do whatever is within our ability to bring about lasting peace to these Countries. We also ask our Catholic faithful and people of good will to remember Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia in their prayers and to attend with a helping hand to their urgent needs and further appeal to all peoples in these countries to embrace peace, seek reconciliation and work towards nation building.” The Communiqué read.

And on New Evangelization, The Catholic bishops have committed to make use of the strategies of the Missionaries who took a positive view of African cultures and in them sought to find the concepts, terms and ways of expressing the Christ-event and the Christian life.They acknowledged with appreciation the efforts many agents of evangelization who are committed to the spread of the Gospel in different ways and encouraged them to remain faithful to the mission we have received from Jesus Christ.

On the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Media for Evangelization, the Catholic Church in the AMECEA region, says will continue to empower social communication departments in order for the Church to fully embrace new forms of media as modern ways of propagating the Gospel and urged pastoral agents to make responsibly use of media and contribute to the content. The bishops have furthermore cautioned all people against misuse of social media.

Additionally, urged parents and all those who are responsible for Children to teach them the ways of God and protect them as children and youth are a gift to and hope of the Church and society.

On Terrorism and Violence, bishops say the AMECEA region and beyond though claim to enjoy relative peace, the recurrent acts of violence and terrorism are very disturbing.

“We appeal to governments in the region to work hard to address the root causes of these problems and ensure protection of the lives of people and their properties. We further appeal for concerted regional and global efforts towards solving these problems” The communiqué read.
The Catholic Bishops in the Association of Member Episcopal Conference in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) were meeting for their 18th Plenary Assembly in Lilongwe.

AMECEA consists of eight countries namely Malawi, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Eritrea, Zambia, Uganda and Ethiopia. AMECEA conferences are held every three years and it’s the third time Malawi is hosting the conference.