Speaking about the reality of Kenya, which marked its first year with a Grand Coalition government in February this year, Fr. Cellana said that most Kenyans feel betrayed as the “coalition government has lost the will to translate the election promises into practical policies that could address the conflict and poverty of the new challenges in our country.” This, he said, is evident in the economy which in the last 18 months has deteriorated with the inflation rate going as high as 23%.
On the second day of the assembly, Fr. Paulino Mondo, a Comboni Missionary, presented the Instrumentum Laboris on the II Special Assembly for Africa due to be held in October this year (the last synod was held 15 years ago). The Instrumentum Laboris – the last document upon which the synod is held- bears the title: The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace.
“Africa,” Fr. Paulino said, “is showing some signs of thirst for Justice and peace.” He asked the missionaries to give their contributions to this Special assembly as they (the missionaries), living their reality on the ground are more in touch with the situation than many of the theologians who worked on the document. He told the missionaries present that as ministers of the sacrament of reconciliation, they could use it as a tool for reconciliation and peace.
The four day regional assembly, which Fr. Cellana referred to as “a moment of fraternal gathering” was really a moment of sharing and interaction. It comprised the evaluation of proposals and priorities of the past regional assembly and the presentation of office activities (administration, formation, AMV, Institutions).
Among the main activities on the third day was the presentation of the Magna Charta by Fr. John Bonanomi. A document that according to Fr. Stefano Camerlengo, the Vice General superior, should be “the litmus test, the constant point of reference for our missionaries and our Institute throughout these two years: …subject for our community meetings, monthly retreats and other regional and continental projects”
The Magna Charta whose title is: A New Paradigm for Mission Interculturality has the general point of view of the mission lived in multicultural communities. Many have commented that the document has difficult terminologies; no wonder, a missionary at the assembly joked that it should be called ‘Maxima Charta.’ To this effect, Fr. Bonanomi began by explaining the precise meanings of some key words like, Interculturality, multiculturality among others, pointing out their problematic aspects. He defined multiculturality as “the co-presence of different cultures within a society or an institutional group.” He also clarified that in the document, the term “inculturation” is normally used with regard to the Gospel and faith. “There is a section in the document on how culture listens to the newness of Jesus,” he said.
Fr. Bonanomi also said that in order to clearly understand the Magna Charta, it was necessary to clarify two fundamental concepts: the concept of the “other” or the “otherness” and the concept of communion in intercultural brotherhood, or “compatibility of differences.” According to him, in an intercultural relationship, the ‘other’ should not be a threat, but help in purification, absorption of self awareness. It is the ‘other’ who enables us to understand who we are; the one who by contrast, moulds us; the one who strengthens our identity by the very fact of questioning it.
“Never without others in order to reach together the ‘Totally Other!’” He concluded.
The assembly was concluded on the morning of April 24 with Holy Mass. April 24 is the feast of St. Fidelis Sigmaringen, one of the saints that Our Founder left us as model. During the homily, Fr. Joya, the Vice Regional superior asked the missionaries to emulate this great saint by being faithful to their commitments, by putting into practice the proposals of the assembly.
