Asante Sana means “thank you very much” in Swahili. And that’s what we did at the beginning of the third day of our encounter. At the Eucharist, animated by the Claretians of India and Sri Lanka (ASCLA West), we gave thanks for the presence of the Gospel in the African continent, particularly in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda). We thank the life of our brother Pascual Hernando Calvo, CMF, who finally met the Lord in Zaragoza (Spain) yesterday. We also gave thanks because today, in Sri Lanka, six Claretian aspirants began their novitiate: 1—Korea, 2—Cameroun, 3—St. Joseph Vaz Independent Delegations.
In the first part of the morning, Joseph Mwaniki, IMC (Consolata Missionaries) of Kenya origin, joined and shared a historical look at the Church in Africa, especially in East Africa. He also gave us some challenges we have today as missionaries in this part of the world.
Then, our brother Amos Moses Onyait, CMF, gave us the history of the Claretian presence in East Africa, the structure of the St. Charles Lwanga Independent Delegation and the challenges of the different communities present in the three countries that constitute the Claretian presence in Eastern Africa.
At the beginning of the afternoon session, we read the greetings of our Claretian brothers: Josep Abella, CMF, Bishop of Fukuoka (Japan) and Cardinal Aquilino Bocos, CMF, who both expressed their closeness and prayers. Later, Pedro Belderrain, CMF, General Consultor and Prefect of Apostolate, invited us to dialogue on synodality, starting from the path the Church has been taking, keeping in mind the vademecum of the Synod secretariat on synodality. He proposed some questions to deepen our personal and communitarian dispositions:
- With the intention to increase synodality in the life of the Congregation, what do you consider to be the most important? Would you propose something concrete?
- The Church invites us to listen to everyone, especially to those who may be or have been less heard. To whom can our Congregation be ‘in debt of listening’?
- Has your Organism undergone or is undergoing any experience that is significantly helping you to grow in synodality?
After the group conversation, we had time to share what was discussed in the plenary, and with this, we ended today’s work giving thanks to God for what was shared during this day Asante sana!
Mario David Gutiérrez, CMF, Chronicler of the day
