NAIROBI, AUGUST 24, 2021 (CISA)-Pope Francis has sent his apostolic blessings to the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa, ACWECA as it began the 18th Plenary Assembly held virtually.
“The Holy Father Francis cordially imparts Apostolic blessings to the members of Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa ACWECA, invoking through the intercession of the Virgin Mary an abundance of Divine graces,” reads the message from Pope Francis read by ACWECA Vice President Sr. Adelina Muguna.
The five-day assembly themed, “Re-awaken our prophetic role: A call for reformation towards holistic transformation in the region today,” began Monday August 23 having been postponed from August 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This current situation that has led to health emergencies, poverty, inequality, loss of jobs and hopelessness, has impacted on our ministries (and) has made this call more urgent and real,” ACWECA President Sr. Mary Cecilia Njeri noted while commenting on the theme of the assembly.
In his virtual address to the assembly the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL), João Cardinal Bráz de Aviz, lauded the choice of the theme of the assembly saying it is in line with Pope Francis’ desire.
“This way of thinking of consecrated life is a great desire of Pope Francis,” said Cardinal de Aviz as he recalled the Pope’s message issued in November 2014, “I am counting on you ‘to wake up the world’, since the distinctive sign of consecrated life is prophecy.”
“The prophetic role of the Consecrated life is a call for holistic transformation for today’s times. It is also the desire of Pope Francis to see you wake up the world through the prophetic role, that helps Jesus to live in this world through our own lives,” the cardinal said as he called upon ACWECA members to observe synodality.
Others who have also addressed the assembly include Sr. Mary Gitau taking participants through topic: Prophetic Role of Women Religious, and Fr Anthony Makunde, the Secretary General of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA).
The assembly will end on Friday August 27 with the Eucharistic Celebration presided over by His Grace Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan.
