Association of Catholic Nuns in Eastern, Central Africa Highlight Mission ahead of August Double Celebration

Sr. Rosalia Sakayombo. Credit: ACWECA

“This year AWRIM has the honour of hosting the ACWECA Plenary Assembly and Golden Jubilee Celebrations because the Vice President of ACWECA, Sr. Agnes Cecilia Jonas, is from Malawi,” Sr. Rosalia said, referring to the rotational nature of the Assembly that is convened every three years. 

In August 2023, ACWECA members unveiled the theme for their 2024 Plenary Assembly, which they said would seek to strengthen the formation of Catholic Nuns in the region.

The President of ACWECA told participants during the unveiling eventat Ulrika Guest House in Kampala, Uganda, that the theme, “Transformative holistic formation for authentic living towards a deeper evangelization in the ACWECA Region and beyond”, was arrived at after days of reflection and listening to the Holy Spirit.

“We challenged ourselves to listen to, and read the signs of our time, which we did and have to continually do,” Sr. Rosalia recalled the undertaking of ACWECA representatives from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Sudan was not represented.

In her address to journalists on June 25, ACWECA President highlighted collaboration as important for the association. 

She said, “As an association, we believe that none of us can face the challenges of this world alone; therefore, our numbers and our togetherness give us the power to have greater impact and transform the world through our missionary work and different apostolate.”

Credit: ACWECA

“Catholic Sisters work with some of the most marginalized sections of people in our society. Sisters are involved in all pastoral activities that pertain to the Catholic Church,” Sr. Rosalia further said, adding that Sisters “catechize the young and old” and that they are also involved “in education, in health, and social ministry, among others.”

The Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe is to host the ACWECA Plenary Assembly that will see new leaders elected and an action plan for the next three years formulated to guide the association comprising more than 300 Religious Orders of women with over 30,000 members.

The Apostolic Nuncio in Malawi and Zambia, Archbishop Gian Luca Perici, is to preside over the opening Eucharistic celebration scheduled for August 19, with Archbishop George Desmond Tambala of Malawi’s Lilongwe Archdiocese among the concelebrants.

Preparations for the double celebration include having the venues for the various activities ready, logistics around the travel and reception of guests, and fundraising for the US$300,000.000 budget. 

“We are appealing to all well-wishers to support us in prayers and contributions to make the event a success and show our guests our hospitality,” a representative of the organizers of the ACWECA double celebration said during the June 25 press briefing.  

PRAYER FOR THE ACWECA 19TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY

Heavenly Father, thank you for the many blessings you have bestowed upon us as we commemorate 50 years of ACWECA.

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We entrust the preparations, deliberations and fruits of the ACWECA Plenary Assembly and the Golden Jubilee 2024 into your loving hands.

Send the Holy Spirit to all delegates of the assembly. Enkindle in all of us the spirit of listening, wisdom, discernment and synodal communion.

Lord, bless and deepen our collaboration and understanding of one another.

Inspire all religious women in Africa to rediscover their zeal for the Gospel.

Bless our partners, friends, and benefactors from the abundance of your generosity.

To all our departed founding members and sisters, grant eternal rest.

Mary, Our Mother and Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.

We make our Prayer through Christ, Our Lord.

AMEN.