Church in Africa “must” Uphold Dignity of Human Persons amid Conflicts: AMECEA Official

In the interview with ACI Africa, the member of the Clergy of Kenya’s Meru Diocese also explored the challenges that displaced people face in countries where they go seeking refuge.

“When people run away from one country to the other country, they need to be protected by the hosting country for that matter,” Fr. Igweta said, and added, “As a church we cannot support the closure of the borders when people are running from their countries in search of security and basic human needs.”

He said that the Catholic Church will always take the side of the vulnerable group, noting that a society is measured by how it treats its poor people and that. 

Giving preferential treatment to the vulnerable, the Nairobi-based Priest said, “is the only moral test that aligns with the church's responsibility.”

“Currently we are talking about refugees. These are people who are highly vulnerable. We have so many people who have run from Tigray to Sudan; we have other numbers in different parts of our region who also need to be treated well and their rights respected,” Fr. Igweta said in the December 1 interview with ACI Africa.

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He further said that a healthy community can only exist when human dignity is protected, a process he said can be effected through protection of human rights and provision of food, clothing, shelter, employment, healthcare and education in the society.

Fr. Igweta said that Catholic Bishops’ voices represent the Church and must be on behalf of the voiceless who are the vulnerable members of the society, including those in embattled regions and refugee camps.

“The church is the mother to give hope to the people, to encourage them and also to stand by its people,” Fr. Igweta said, and added, “The voice of the church should uplift the vulnerable in the society because these are the people who have no voice.”

The Kenyan Priest said that the prophetic role of the Church must remain intact, and explained, “The prophetic voice of the church needs to be felt; we cannot be silent when things are not going in support of the human person.”

This story was first published by ACI Africa on 2 December 2021