OFFICIALS:
Chairman: Most Rev Peter Kairo

Vice Chairman: Bishop Paul Darmanin

The Kenya Episcopal Conference has a fully pledged Commission for Ecumenism that is entrusted with the responsibility of facilitating a process of enhancing Christian Unity. This is being done in light of the word of God and the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church.

SPIRITUALITY AND THE GOAL OF ECUMENISM
The goal of ecumenism is based on the Gospel imperative in the priestly prayer of Jesus to the Father, “that they all may be one that the world may believe” (Jn 17:21). The goal of ecumenism is no less than the restoration of Christian Unity, which was one of the main concerns of the Council (cf. UR, 1)

The Holy Father Pope Paul II. sees the goal of unity as linked to God’s will of salvation.
“ The unity of all divided humanity is the will of God. For this reason he sent his son, so that by dying and rising for us he might bestow on us the spirit of love. On the eve of sacrifice on the cross, Jesus himself prayed to the Father for his disciples and for all those who believe in Him that they might be one, a living communion. This is the basis not only of the duty, but also of the responsibility before God and his plan, which falls to those who through Baptism become members of the body of Christ, a Body in which the fullness of reconciliation and communion must be made present.(UUS,6.)

SPIRITUAL ECUMENISM AND THE GOAL OF ECUMENISM
In Christ’s Priestly prayer for unity, Jesus first offers before us the principle cause of unity as the model for his disciples. Father, “I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one. Father may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me” (Jn 17:20-21).

The above goals will be met in Kenya through:
1. Sensitizing the people of God on the urgent need of promoting ecumenism
2. Equipping agents of evangelization with relevant ecumenism skills
3. Enhancing joint activities in favor of ecumenism
4. Organizing common prayers for Christians.
5. Taking common action in addressing those issues that affect humanity and the
environment.

The stipulated goals and objectives are met through the following activities:
1. Formation of a National team of theologians and collaborators for the Commission.
2. Appointment of Diocesan ecumenism coordinators
3. Formation training programmes at National, Ecclesiastical province and Diocesan
levels.
4. Active participation in Prayer week for Christian unity.
5. Supporting other Christian’s initiatives geared towards promoting ecumenism.
6. Attending ecumenism forums at National and International l

2nd World Forum on Theology

The 2nd World Forum on Theology and Liberation took place in Nairobi. The World Forum on Theology and Liberation brought together Christian theologians from all continents (150 from Africa and 50 from the other continents) who are in favour of liberation in all its dimensions. EATWOR/ASETT - Ecumenical Associaton of the Third World Theologians is part of the forum and many of its members participated in the WFTL.

The World Forum on Theology and Liberation is ecumenical having the participation of different Christian traditions, as it is shown in the members of Honour, the board of directors and sponsoring institutions. This criterion was taken into account when inviting the participants. Today Christian theology needs to be open to the diversity of all existing religious.

Liberating Theologies in Africa, Asia, Latin America and in the Caribbean have been trying to help people increase their self-esteem, their literacy level, their social community organization, as well as their cultural, economical and political associations.

The President of the WFTD is Sergio Torres (a Catholic Theologian from Chile, and one of the founding members of EATWOT. The General Secretary is Luis Carlos Susin (Capicin Father) from Brazil, and the General Secretariat is at Porto Alegre (Brazil). The Kenyan Committee was in charge of the preparation of the Forum and worked in close collaboration with the General Secretariat.

Inter Church Workgroup. Pastoral suggestions for 2007.

Some pastoral suggestions.

· Invite some other churches and Christian communities in your sector for a common service and organize some common actions e.g. pilgrimage, processions, prayer vigils … etc.

· Communities which observe the week of prayer for Unity in their regular Celebrations may draw material for their celebrations from the “eight days” suggestions in connection with the theme.

· Invite the Small Christian Communities or Family gatherings to make use of the theme of the Prayer week and to welcome into their meeting at the occasion of the prayer week some friends from other churches to share in their prayers and social meeting.

· Suggest an inter-church meeting of youngsters or for other groups existing in different churches (women, groups for Justice and Peace ….) to meet and share in Bible readings, common prayer, songs and Bible plays. Where it would be possible, organize some common activities for youngsters.

· In local communities where there are already “ecumenical groups of Christians” there could be organized a more formal meeting around the question: “What could be shared or done in our respective communities to promote mutual knowledge, fellowship, acceptance and understanding”?

· Organize in the context of your Ecumenical meeting some common actions to assist the poor, the victims of famine …

· Announce the Theme of the Prayer Week and the daily suggestions in your Community bulletin, and invite your Church Members to pray for that intention.

· Introduce the Theme of the Prayer Week in the beginning of the celebration on Sundays. Suggest some specific intentions in the common Prayer.

· Organize Round Table gatherings where Christians of different Churches share on common topics.

Symbolic gestures.

· On Palm Sunday, in Churches where Palm Sunday is celebrated, we join in procession from our Churches to a common place for the Palm-procession, initiating together our way up to the Celebrations of the Suffering-death and Resurrection of Jesus our Savior and Lord.

· During the Holy Week before Easter, We join as Churches in a Common Way of the Cross. For these Churches that not have the way of the cross, a common activity can be suggested to express our common Salvation Journey.

· At Easter-time you can offer to every Community you are related with a Easter Candle. During your local Easter celebration you prepare the candles and explain the symbolic communion in Faith and Prayer. This can be done in those Churches that accept the symbol. Others can get Easter cards with the same intention.

· During the Easter time, common celebrations and activities can be proposed to express our common Faith and Joy in the Risen Christ.

· Christmas: Organize a festive celebration with Christmas carols.

· To have joint celebrations during international days, e.g. International Peace day, International Women’s day, International Children’s day …

NB.

We are aware of the challenges that can be encountered in some of those activities or symbolic gestures, e.g. common services … due to different liturgies and traditions. It is in this regard that we request Leaders and Representatives from the specific Churches to come up with an acceptable format for a common service.

Inter Church Workgroup for Unity

Pastoral Report:

The Ecumenical Commission

of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference: Pastoral Year 2005-2006.

1. Main Activities of the Commission and the Secretariat.

Commission meetings:

Year 2005: 28 January; 22 April; 21 October; 16 December;

Year 2006: 24 February; 9 June.

(on our programme: 13 October; 15 December).

The main themes of our meetings:

The consultation and composition of the Pastoral Letter of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference.

The local initiatives of the Theologian and members of our Commission;

Mutual information on the local initiatives in the sector of Ecumenical Formation;

Inter Church initiatives in Kenya;

Contact with CUEA (Catholic University of East Africa, Nairobi) and the preparation of the

proposed Seminar for the English speaking Bishops Conferences in Africa in June 2005;

Communion and solidarity with the Ecumenical Movement in the World Church;

Contacts with the Orthodox Church in Kenya;

Contacts with the Jewish Community and integration of this dimension into our programme;

The Budget and expenses of the Ecumenical Commission.

Reports of the Com. to the KEC Assembly:

cfr attached: The April and November 200; April 2006 Reports to the KEC Assembly.

Visit of Cardinal Kasper

The Cardinal (President of the Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity, Rome - PCPCU) visited Kenya in the context of a Seminar proposed to the African English speaking Bishops Conferences by the Pontifical Council in collaboration with CUEA.

He visited the Commission and contacted also some Local Christian Churches.

His stay and his visits in Nairobi (June 2005) were prepared in a common venture with the Catholic Secretariat and the Nuncio in Kenya.

Integration and collaboration with other Pastoral Commissions of the KEC:

We are happy to rejoice in the context of the Pastoral Commission in a fruitful collaboration with the Pastoral Commissions of the Catholic Secretariat. Contacts and mutual information are very well established.

The Secretary took part in the National Capacity building workshop in February organized by the Lay Commission, for Diocesan Pastoral Coordinators and was able to address the assembly on Ecumenical matters.

Relations and collaboration with other Christian Churches in Kenya:

The invitation and active collaboration with the Nairobi Ecumenical Conference on Spiritual Leadership ( October 2005, in the PCEA Guest House Nairobi ) was one of the highlights of our fellowship and mutual relationship between the Commission and the Christian Churches.

The inter-Church workgroup in view of the celebration of the Universal Prayer Week for Unity is another expression of good relationships and collaboration.

The activities of the Executive Secretary of the Commission

Fr Lenssen took part in the International Missionary Conference in Athens (May 05) as a member of the Organizing Commission of the World Council of Churches (Commission on Mission and Evangelism – CMWE. Geneva). He is a permanent member and collaborator of this WCC commission, delegated by the PCPCU – in Rome.

The theme of the Conference was: “Come Holy Spirit, heal and reconcile. Called in Christ, to be reconciling and healing Communities.”

After the Conference he was able to promote the theme of this Missionary Conference locally in several meetings with local workgroups in Kenya and in Belgium.

The Secretary of the Ecumenical Commission, in his personal Ecumenical engagement and relationships, is the promoter of several grass root workgroups on Ecumenism in Nairobi City.

(See the annexes: “Local workgroups and initiatives in Ecumenism”.

Mandated by the PCPCU in the context of the World Council of Churches he is able to improve good relationships with several Christian Church Leaders he meets them regularly in this capacity in different Ecumenical Encounters..

2. Pastoral Letter of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference.

The Ecumenical Commission, through the good services of Chairman Rt Rev. Anyolo, elaborated at the service of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference (K.E.C.) a proposal for the Pastoral Letter on Ecumenism in different successive drafts.

The last draft of this proposal was accepted and signed by all the Catholic Bishops of Kenya in their Plenary Session in November 11, 2005, and edited by the Paulines Publications Africa (“Ecumenism in Kenya Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Kenya”), The Letter was commented on several Web sides in Kenya and copied at the service of the Website.

A Press conference was organized by the Catholic Secretariat to promote the vision of the Kenyan Catholic Bishops on Ecumenism.

The Letter became a means of contact and dialogue with several Christian Churches in Kenya.

The Pontifical Council in Rome shared the Kenyan Pastoral Letter with the African Bishops Conferences.

3. Ecumenical Seminar in CUEA, in collaboration with the PCPCU.

The proposed Seminar for the African English speaking Bishops Conferences, a common initiative of the Pontifical Council and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa took place in June 2005. The initiative was really appreciated and was a boast for many engaged people to improve and elaborate the Ecumenical endeavor of Many Local Bishops Conferences in Africa. Several Members of our Commission took part in this seminar.

4. The “Inter-Church Workgroup”:

a common Booklet for the Prayer Week For Christian Unity

After several years of fraternal contact with many Christian Churches in Kenya we ere able to propose in collaboration with them and in the context of the January International Prayer-Week the initiative of the edition for a common Booklet to promote the Inter-Church Prayer for Unity.

An Inter Church Workgroup was formed and the Members took at heart the edition and promotion of a common Prayer Booklet, adapting the Prayer Week proposed by the Pontifical Council and the World Council of Churches for local use.

After several meetings the common edition was accepted and edited by the Missionary Magazine, “The Seed”. 10 Christian Churches adopted the initiative and accepted the responsibility of this Edition. They engaged themselves to promote the Prayer Week in their own communities.

This initiative was presented to the public of Radio Waumini in a one hour life program, early January 2006.

The Churches involved in the common project were: The Anglican Church (ACK), The Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), The National Christian Council of Kenya (NCCK) The Orthodox Church, The Coptic Orthodox Church, The Methodist Conference of Kenya, The Assemblies of God in Kenya, Christ is the Answer Pentecost Church of Nairobi, and The Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Chairman Bishop Anyolo proposed in a pastoral message, published in the Edition for the Catholic Church, the initiative and added some pastoral suggestions for the local communities.

Continuing the spirit of fellowship the “Interchurch workgroup” suggested a larger program of shared initiatives among them. They initiated in the mean time the preparations for the coming Prayer Week, 2007.

(See in annex the Booklet for the Ecumenical Prayer Week 2006).

5. Local initiatives of the members of our Ecumenical Commission.

The Members of the KEC Ecumenical Commission were able to promote locally and in collaboration with their pastoral collaborators several initiatives in the Ecumenical Sector.

The 4 Commission meetings gave a concrete report of the Theologians working in their respective Church Province of the Kenyan Church.

Their activities represent a large range of creative initiatives such as: the formation of local Diocesan and parish structures; Meetings and information for Priests and local parish groups; Prayer meetings; Contacts with local Christian Church Leader and so on.

Some highlights in the local initiatives:

Tangaza Missionary Institute promoted and build up a close relationship with the Orthodox Theological Seminar expressed in a seminar with The Orthodox Archbishop;

CUEA organized public Lectures and prayer Celebrations for students;

Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, Hekima Jesuit Theological Centre, Marist International Formation Centre and Saint Paul’s Theological Centre (Protestant Ecumenical formation Center) entered into the prayer week in local prayer celebrations and several student meetings.

The Mombasa Ecumenical Group, in collaboration with Most Rev Archbishop Lele, brought several Churches together and they intend to continue their close relationship.

Local parish groups were formed in view of promoting Christian Unity prayers …

The Executive Secretary followed several local Ecumenical Groups in Nairobi Archdiocese and promoted inter Church prayer meetings in the following Groups:

Musen Nairobi Ecumenical Group; Kibera Ecumenical Encounter; Ngong Ecumenical Encounter; African Refugee Programme workgroup on Ecumenism; Umoja Ecumenical Group.

He stayed in contact with local parish initiatives and was able to conduct several Seminars and conferences at the service of Religious Communities: Msola, Little Missionary Sisters of Don Orione, Brothers of Charity, M.Afr.

6. The Prayer Week for Christian Unity.

The preparation of the Prayer Week for Unity by the Inter-Church Workgroup: see n 4.

The Prayer Booklet Universal Prayer Week for Unity 2006.

The Prayer Booklet, according to the proposals of the Catholic Church PCPCU and the Faith and Order of the WCC, was prepared in view of the local use of the Kenyan context. Every Church received 20 copies for local use.

The Seed, a local Missionary Magazine edited by the Consolata Missionaries printed 3000 copies for the KEC Commission and 5000 more copies for their subscribers.

The edition was largely distributed by the Secretariat to Pastoral coordinators and the members of the Pastoral sectors of the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches..

Parishes, local small Christian communities, Religious Communities, formation Houses and Seminars made use of the Booklet during the Prayer Week.

Some local Pastoral Responses in the context of the Ecumenical Prayer Week:

Several Parishes shared their Ecumenical prayer initiative with other Christian Churches (South B; Umoja; St Paul University Chapel; Korogotcho; Consolata; Kahawa West …

Consolata Parish, Nairobi proposed a special Ecumenical dimension in their daily Eucharist with the intervention of representatives of different Churches.

- Inter Church services were celebrated with the Delegation of several Christian Churches in collaboration with the Ecumenical Groups.

7. Follow-up and urgent needs.

The formation of Diocesan Pastoral Coordinators an Ecumenism issues remains the most urgent dimension of our Pastoral planning.

The need of sufficient funds for enhancing Implementation of those activities remains a major problem for the Kenya Ecumenical Commission.

Trough the Commission’s activities, it has become evident that coordination with the Commission for inter-religious dialogue activities need to be given more attention.

“Ultimately, this call comes from our Lord Himself:” May they be one, Father, as you are in me and I am in you” (Jn 17:21). Let our initiatives in this area demonstrate that despite our divisions, we are on the way towards full unity”.

Ecumenism in Kenya.” Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Kenya”.

November 11, 2005.

Nairobi, 15.06.2006.

(Notes compiled by Fr Jan Lenssen M.Afr.

Executive Secretary of the Ecumenical Commission of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference.)

Approved by Rt Rev Bishop ANYOLO,

Chairman of the Ecumenical Commission of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference.

Bishop of the Diocese of Homa Bay. Kenya

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Please find in annex:

1. “Ecumenism in Kenya. Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Kenya” Ed. Nov. 2005.

2. Resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and throughout the year 2006. Kenya.

3. Kenya Episcopal Conference. Commission for Ecumenism.

Report to the KEC Ordinary Meeting: April 2005; November 2005; April 006.

4 Local Workgroups and initiatives in the Ecumenical Movement in the Church of Kenya.

MESSAGE OF RT. REV. PHILIP ANYOLO

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Parish Communities and Pastoral collaborators, peace be with you!
"We are well aware that God works with those who love Him, those who have been called in accordance with his purpose, and turns everything to their good"I take this chance to thank the Lord for the blessings He showered to us during the 2005 week of prayer. Congratulations for all the efforts made in ensuring its success and more so for the initiatives made at different levels in promoting the ecumenical movement throuogh out the prayer. I appeal to all of you to keep up with this spirit and pray so that the ecumenical movement may grow from strength to strength.

To live the spirit of the movement we have a Kenya inter-Church workgroup for the international Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in place. The group has been working tirelessly in order to strategize on how to make the 2006 week of prayer a great success. Kindly consider the proposed pastoral suggestions for the week. Ecumenical initiatives during the week and through out the year are highly recommended.

I advice you to keep to the ecumenism principles in all activities

Yours Sincerely