“These structures are still active today, responding to the issues raised during the consultation season,” Fr. Makunde said about initiatives undertaken at various levels of the Church ahead of the first phase, the 4-29 October 2023 session, that concluded with a 42-page summary report.
He added that all the issues raised, many of which are not doctrinal, are being addressed in a synodal manner, reflecting the Church's commitment to journeying together.
The Nairobi-based AMECEA Secretary General said that the feedback from the first session of the Synod has served as a foundation for pastoral strategic plans at various levels of the Church in nine countries, which include Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, with Djibouti and Somalia as affiliate member countries.
The strategic plans are being implemented at the Parish, Diocesan, and national levels, with a focus on ensuring the participation and inclusion of all the people of God, he went on to say, alluding to the theme of the Synod on Synodality, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission”.
“The local churches in Eastern Africa have taken advantage of the fruits of the consultation period and the feedback from the synthesis of the first session as reference points,” Fr. Makunda reiterated during the August 29 virtual conference that was realized through the collaboration of AMECEA, the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA), and the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM).
He also reflected on the methodology of the Synod on Synodality, which he said calls for the active involvement of all the people of God.
The involvement of all the people of God, Fr. Makunde said, has been effective in identifying successes and gaps in the mission of Church in the AMECEA region.
“The Synod methodology, which calls for wider participation from Church members, has been an effective tool in this process,” he said, adding that the Church in Eastern Africa has continued to implement strategies aimed at improving structures of participation.
For instance, Fr. Makunde shared, many Catholic Parishes in the region have focused on addressing the needs of the youth in line with the March 2019 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis to “Young People and to the Entire People of God”, Christus Vivit and in utilization of communication tools, including digital technology, for evangelization.
In his August 29 presentation, Fr. Makunde also emphasized the important place of the Small Christian Communities (SCCs) in the region, saying they “play a crucial role” in maintaining the spirit of synodality, particularly in reaching out to those with special needs such as the elderly and the poor.
