CATHOLIC PARLIAMENTARIANS RETREAT

A group photo of the participants.

AMECEA Justice and Peace Desk held a retreat for Catholic Parliamentarians. The retreat took place in Nairobi on last month, beginning on 1st October and ended on 4th October 2012, in Nairobi, Kenya.
Background

Our study has clearly revealed that most of our problems within the region are there on account of bad governance as a result of bad policies. It is therefore important to work towards having good policies. Our priority will be the welfare sectors upon which lies poverty. So we target to improve development policies and preferably at local levels as well as poverty reduction policies. We have a structure of Parliamentary Liaison Officers in every AMECEA Justice and Peace Commission, and in order to influence good policies in our government, PLOs need to liaise with Catholic Parliamentarians for easier advocacy.  This will create soft grounds in our parliaments and it is through this group that the Church will get bigger support in her efforts.

Participation
This Workshop targeted Catholic Parliamentarians and the Parliamentarians Liaison Officers from East Africa countries of AMECEA (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) and a representation from East Africa Legislative Assembly. Among other participants of the retreat was Hon Sarah Bonaya, of EALA, a Kenyan Member of Parliament Hon. Thomas Mwadeghu, Parliamentary Liaison Officers, Parliamentarians Chaplains, Center for Social Justice and Ethics (CSJE), Catholic Members of Parliament Spiritual Support Initiative in Kenya (CAMPSSI (K).

The purpose of this retreat was to help the parliamentarians to understand their Christian obligations in contributing to the welfare of the people.

 KEY NOTE ADDRESS

    The Key Note Address was given by AMECEA Secretary General, Fr. Ferdinand Lugonzo.

· By the Grace of God, today we are gathered here for a Catholic Parliamentarians Retreat. This retreat comes at a time when the Bishops of the entire region of AMECEA are reflecting on how best they can shape the destiny of the people of Eastern Africa.

AMECEA Secretary General (right) giving the Key Note Address

· It is therefore my pleasure to welcome all of you to this important Retreat on behalf of the Chairman of AMECEA, His Grace, Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye.

·  For us as Catholic Church a period of retreat is very precious. It is time to:

     a)Reflecting on the Past

     b)Analyzing the Present

      c)Strategizing for the future

   Almighty God has given to all of us two important gifts:
o   The first is the gift of life;
o    The second is the gift of faith.

·  To crown these two gifts He has called us to different walks of life so that we can serve Him through humanity.

· It is with this understanding that the Catholic Church has always been conscious of her duty in accompanying all of us at every stage of our lives and in every vocation or profession.

· Conscious of the important role that the political leadership plays in policy making and in the development of peoples, the Holy Father has challenged church leaders in Africa to fully engage the political leadership in a positive way so that both political and religious leaders in society should enrich each other in building stronger societies on the basis of good governance, reconciliation, justice and peace.

·  We all know where we are coming from.

· We also know how much healthy relations between church and state have contributed to progress in society.

·  This leads to so many questions that run within our minds as church leaders:  

•    What really causes strife between church and state?
•    What went wrong in the history of these two realities that are working for the same people?
•   What can be done so that harmony can be created between the operations of political leadership and church leadership?This retreat we have an opportunity to listen to each other and propose ways and means that can help us work together. This retreat is therefore meant to help you as Parliamentarians and those who work closely with you to remind yourselves of what your Christian obligations are.
  We strongly believe that only when all of us understand our responsibilities we can make very positive contributions towards the positive growth and development of the societies which we are serving.·   But we cannot stop at reflecting on our responsibilities.·  I want to pray that this retreat becomes the first of many therefore where such sharing and exchange of ideas will be taking place.
     Let us always remember that Almighty God has given us two precious gifts: life and faith. We must employ these two gifts to better the lives of our people.
•  
  SMALL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AS REFLECTED IN PROFESSIONAL SETTING -BY REV. FR. FEBIAN PIKITI 
  Introduction 
  AMECEA Pastoral Coordinator, Rev. Fr. Febian started by congratulating AMECEA Justice and Peace Desk for hosting the very important gathering. 

He said that he was basing his presentation on two things:

       i.Christian vocation as Catholic Professionals, which is “to seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to the will of God”

A cross section of the participants during a presentation 

  ii.To reflect on how through establishing a koinonia (communion) among ourselves, we can together witness to the message of Christ and the fundamental values of the Gospel. For this to happened you need to be established as a community where we are in parliament, a Small Christian Community of parliamentarians.

The Vocation of Catholic Professionals

a.The Church and the World Constitute the Unified Plan of Salvation

b. The Vocation of Catholic Professionals

Ø The laity lives in a world surrounded by the ordinary circumstances of social and family life; in every work and business of the earth. It is here where there lies their special vocation, “to make the message of Christ present and fruitful in those places and circumstances where it is through them that the Church can become the salt of the earth”

Ø Indeed, the lay faithful are on the battle front of evangelization and through their Christian witness in all facets of life, the Gospel of Christ can permeate and perfect the temporal order of things.

Ø The laity field of evangelization is the vast and complicated world of politics, society and economics; the world of culture sciences and culture; the world of international life, mass media and professional work. In this way, you will contribute to the bettering of the world; to promote solidarity; human emancipation and integral human development.

Ø The lay faithful are challenged to bring Christ into the strata of their life. The principle focus of their participation in the mission of Jesus Christ is to restore humanity and all creation to communion with God and ordering all things according to Kingdom of God. They make a gift of themselves to the world so that their commitment to their secular responsibilities will bring about the sanctification of the world. That is, orienting all thing according to the values of the Gospel and the mandate to build the Kingdom of God.
On Being a Small Christian Community 

Ø  One of the most successful pastoral approaches for the Church in Africa has been the building of Small Christian Communities as a way of being Church in Africa.

• Ø The Church life must be based on the communities in which everyday life and work take place; those basic and manageable social groupings whose members can experience real inter-personal relationships and feel a sense of communal belonging, both in living and working.
• Ø We believe that the Christian communities at this level will be best suited to develop real intense vitality and to become effective witness in their natural environment.
• Ø We are living at a time when we need to allow the Word of God to be at the centre of our professional life.
• Ø The life of the SCCs is centered on the Word of God and this shared Word animates the life of individuals and the community.
• Ø If the parliamentarians bring the Gospel values into our professional life and in the service of humanity, we need to build bonds with one another and bring the message of Christ to others.
• Ø As a way of building and strengthening a sense of being community I make the following proposals:
  •     Consolidate chaplaincy to the parliamentarians
  •     Periodically hold retreats for parliamentarians
  •   Having time for prayer and celebration of Mass together as parliamentarians
  •    Discuss issue that are arising and present them in the light of the Gospel values and the teachings of the Church 
  •  Ø As Parliamentarians, we may not have time to participate at SCCs in our residential neighbourhood or parish, but within our places of work, we can build our professional life around the Word of God

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES OF THE WORKSHOP - BY AMECEA JUSTICE AND PEACE COORDINATOR REV. FR. JUDE WAWERU 

What is AMECEA?

Ø Fr. Jude started by welcoming one of AMECEA staff Pamela to give an overview of what AMECEA is.  In brief, she pointed out the following points:

Ø AMECEA is an acronym of Association of Member Episcopal Conference in Eastern Africa. It includes Kenya, Uganda Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan North and South, Zambia and Malawi. Djibouti and Somalia are affiliate members. This organization was established in 1961 by the Catholic Bishops for the purposes of collaboration and solidarity on common Pastoral challenges. AMECEA meets every three years on an identified theme upon which a study is done which has often resulted in joint action in the following term of three years leading to the following Plenary Assembly of Bishops.

Ø Among so many themes of reflection, I would want to point out here that, establishment of educational institutes as instruments of formation and evangelization can be cited as very successful ventures with CUEA as a shining example. Small Christian Communities, SCC has always been a show case for AMECEA achievements.

Ø The very purpose of the establishment of AMECEA has its basis on collaboration and solidarity; objectives that the organization has pursued with enthusiasm. AMECEA has visited Eritrea in her struggle to be more democratic, several visits to Sudan during her struggle for secession and not forgetting Kenya during the post election violence.
 
Background of the Workshop

Fr. Jude took the participants through the programme and gave the following remarks as the background of the workshop. 

Governance situation in East African Region

Ø In the analysis of the socio-political and economic problems facing our people in the region, the department of Justice and Peace discovered that bad governance has a lot to do with the aforesaid.

Ø It is on account of this that we would have poor education, poor medical care, unemployment, insecurity and so forth. When we say that poor governance is evident in our East African region, is this just an unfounded claim? Nothing can answer this question than having to quickly cast our eyes to the state of our countries.

Ø What is the quality of our general elections? Would we have something to complain in all three? What about the general integrity that marks good leadership? Without having to go to details, corruption evidences have been eloquently articulated in all East African countries.

Ø Some of this include abuse of office, irregular procurement procedures, mega scandals and so forth. These are undeniable facts that indeed cost these economies huge amount of money that would go a long way in accelerating the country’s development. This in turn would turn the lives of the people around. How does this sit with the perennial cry that there is no money to improve social services and so on! 
 

The response of the Church on the quality of governance in the region

Ø As individual members of AMECEA, the countries have initiated governance programmes within their respective conferences. This is an effort advanced by the Church in establishing ways of possible positive interventions in pursuit of good governance.

Ø  In Kenya we have a Parliamentary Liaison Office (PLO) under justice and peace commission of Kenya Episcopal Conference and spiritual accompaniment of some Catholic Parliamentarians by Social Ministry of Tangaza College.

Ø In Uganda we see more vibrant initiatives manifested in PLO within Uganda Episcopal Conference and UJCC (Uganda Joint Christian Council), Parliamentary affairs desk and Parliamentary Chaplaincy.

Ø The problem of governance caught the attention of AMECEA as a regional concern and recently brought this matter to the attention of Rome during the Second synod of Bishops of Africa.

Ø To further pursue this end, AMECEA is focusing on the regional perspective of this effort, focusing on the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Ø The regional component within these countries is inspired by the formation East African Community (EAC).
Catholic Association

Ø We hope to have a Catholic solidarity within the parliament for better support of the Church. This would help the Church in working with the legislators especially where dialogue is concerned.
PLOs counterparts

Ø The Church has tried to reach the parliamentarians through PLOs, which can be said to be one way; we are trying to see how the Church can reach the parliamentarians and vice-versa. How can the Catholic parliamentarians be able to complement these Church structures for better results! 

 

SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH ON GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR THE COMMON GOOD - BY   REV. DR. JOHN TENAMWENYE

Introduction

This presentation intends to give some input on three areas:

Ø Understanding the social doctrine of the Church GoodGood Governance in Africa

Ø The concept of Good governance
Ø  How the CSD Can shed light on the notion of Good Governance  
What is Social Doctrine of the Church?
Ø CSD is a body of social wisdom that instructs us about the human person- every woman, man and child living in society-in families, villages, tribes, work places, schools.
Ø  It is the accurate formulation of the results of a careful reflection on the complex realities of human existence, in society and in the international order in the light of faith and of the Church’s tradition

Ø It is a set of moral principles or guidelines for action which have been elaborated and refined through the Church’s long dialogue with man/woman and the problems of human society

Ø  CSD  can be found in the scripture, the writing of the fathers of the Church, Popes and Bishops, Theologians and the witness of Christians in their day to-day lives

Ø  The aim of CSD is to guide Christian behavior

Ø CSD is therefore an  essential instrument of  evangelization

Ø  CSD guides about the values, structures and practices that contribute to a full human life, by promoting the principles:

Ø Sanctity of life and dignity of the human person

Ø  Common good and community

Ø Participation

Ø  Subsidiarity

Ø   Solidarity

Ø  Preferential option for the poor

Good Governance

The notion of Good Governance as used currently in politics and development literature's describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights.

Characteristics of Good Governance

Ø Participation

Ø Rule of law

Ø Transparency

Ø Responsiveness

Ø Consensus oriented

Ø Equity and inclusiveness

Ø Effectiveness and efficiency

Ø Accountability 

 Church’s Social Doctrine on Good Governance
The Church’s Social Doctrine can shade some light on Good Governance in the following ways:

•   Authority and governance
•   Integral Humanism 
• Solidarity.
• Integral Humanism
• Solidarity. Ø Integral Humanism
• Justice 
• Good Governance in Africa and the Church's Role
  ·         Let us look at achievements recorded in different areas: political, economic, social, cultural and religious. 
  ·             Africa still remains poor continent despite abundant resources-why?
  o     50 years of independence- poverty? Wars? Illiteracy? Poor governance? Corruption? Religious fundamentalism?
  
  
     The role of women?

•  - Conversion to Good Governance?
    -SAP what success since 1980s? Does the Church have a role in this?
   - The issue of distribution of resources- best practices- what should the Church do?
    -The Untapped resource of the Laity?  Laity in Politics, Government, Business- any difference?

THE ROLE OF THE LAITY IN WORKING WITH THE CHURCH ON GOOD GOVERNANCE - BY CHARLES KANJAMA

• Mr. Kanjama a practicing lawyer in Kenya shared the following points. 
• The presentation is based on Mathew 28:19-20 – the great commission. 
• If the laity is well formed, they will bring people to the sacraments.
• When the laity doesn’t do evangelization, it becomes hard for the clergy.
• When the laity do their work of evangelization, then the work of the clergy become overwhelming. 
•  All have to change how they reach the parliamentarians, and stop seeing them as the ones who can help.
• It is important to persuade the parliamentarians with data and figures.
•  The laity has a role in supporting the Church
•  How can the professionals and parliamentarians be engaged?
• There is need for the church to have an engagement with the parliamentarians. This should not be only when we need them but always.
• There is need to have professional to engage with the parliamentarians.
• Professionals can work so well with other professionals.
•  In Kenya the percentage of catholic MPs is less than 50%. 
• Lobby and advocacy tips
• We can use the contacts we have to reach the MPs – those we know that are close to them like their relatives and friends, can help a lot in reaching them.
•  Have a database of contacts
•  Have a list of professionals to take forward our memorandum- for example the Doctors are in a better position talking about an issue like abortion. Teachers can represent an issue on education and the like.
•  Look for a way of engagement between the secretariat and the parliament.
•  Professionals have resources in church needs  

 PARLIAMENTARY NETWORKING AND ITS DYNAMICS – A SHARING OF TANZANIA ON CPT – BY REV. FR. VIC MISSIAEN.

Ø The church must learn to be realistic when it comes to politics.

Ø The role of the parliamentary liaison officer is to;

o   Evangelize the society

o   Involve all people of good will.

Ø There is need to link with parliamentarians but also important with the permanent secretaries and other officials in public offices.

Ø The catholic universities should do the work of research

Ø The laity should be empowered in order for them to understand the social teaching of the church.

Ø It is important to use professionals in this ministry.

Ø The church in Tanzania has done a number of publications on good governance.

Ø They have translated the social teaching of the church to Kiswahili.

Ø It is important to have an engagement with the professional.  In Tanzania there is a group called catholic professionals of Tanzania (CPT) who help the church in professional matters.

Ø It is also important to have a chaplain of the parliament. 

Ø It is good to learn from the history.

Ø The church has to interpret the gospel in to day to day happenings and adapt to the changes like the use of social media.

Ø The church has been good in charity but has failed in implementation of policy.

There is a challenge of handling the spirituality 

HON. THOMAS MWADEGHU - MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WUNDANYI TAITA TAVETA 

Hon. Mwadeghu a Kenyan member of parliament gave a sharing on the experiences of the members of parliament with the church, and the following were his comments.

Ø When sending an invitation letter for a meeting involving the parliamentarians, it is good to look at the program of parliament. To get members of parliaments sitting in two days is not easy due to their busy schedules.

Ø The parliamentarians expect to see a more engagement with the church.  Does the church know the members of parliament especially the parish priest?

Ø 30 members are required to pass any law in Kenya and there are 70 catholic members of parliament in Kenya– so the church should really nature its members.

Ø The members of parliament have not been engaged in church matters.

Ø We need a healing process that can only happen through dialogue.

Ø Any engagement between the church and parliament should be through Tangaza

Ø Parliamentarians are harassed individual that needs spiritual care.

Ø The church need to understand what the parliamentarians go through

Ø The parliamentarians need a chaplain who can understand the particular environment.

Ø The parliamentarians received a letter from the bishops that they are not happy with the education bill. The chairman of education board is a catholic but the church has not taken advantage of that.

Ø The church can influence the members of parliaments with the right values to be elected.

Ø The church has never engaged the catholic parliamentarians on the abortion bill.

Ø The church cannot fall when its own people are in the parliament.

Ø The anti terrorism bill was passed and the Muslims joined together and discussed the changes they want and through a Muslim minister, the bill was amended.

Ø Look at the members of parliament as brothers and sisters and let the clergy help them to go to heaven.

Ø Let the church use the avenues they have to help people during elections to elect people with value.

Ø The PLO desk at Kenya Episcopal Conference is not known in well known in the parliament.  

WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES AT E.A. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY- BY SARA BONAYA

Background history of EAC

Ø E.A. community was started in 1999.

Ø The integration process started in 1897

Ø Governor of Britain build institutions to integrate the region.

Ø Integration agenda was started in 1960

Ø Through diplomatic means the EA region came with a document called….that guides the processes.

o   Common market – free movement of people and goods & services.

o   Monitoring

o   Political

Ø At the moment we are at common market - The trading protocol has

o   Free movement of capital

o   Free movement of services

Ø A lot of avenues have been opened for the region.

Ø EA community as a region as 7 avenues and EA legislative assembly is one of them. (Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda)

Ø The seat of community is in Arusha and the parliament is also in Arusha.

Role of EALA

o   Registration

o   Representation - Oversee programs of the community

Ø Africa has a deficiency of always wanting to be funded.

Challenges

Ø There is no budget outside Tanzania.

Opportunities

oFor membership, your country must have good governance, security, and peace.

Avenues

o   Linkages with national parliament

o   Parliamentarians health forum

o   AMECEA being a regional office and having some of the members’ countries in EALA.

o   The church a moral authority in any particularly state – it needs to play a complementary role.

o   EA court of justice can be used

o   Sect oral committees of every government sector

o   Christian parliamentarians at EALA.

o   Speakers bureau – EALA speaker is a catholic

o   University council - the university should channel the research in the universities to the right place.

o   directorate of political federation.

 It is important for the church to have a committee of reaching EALA.

 EXPERIENCE WITH PARLIAMENTARY MINISTRY: CHALLENGES, ACHIEVEMENTS – CATHOLIC PARLIAMENTARY CHAPLAIN OF UGANDA, REV. FR. PHILIP BALIKUDDEMBE

• The Uganda Episcopal Conference with the legislators has endeavored to contribute to the spiritual welfare of catholic MPs. The Uganda Parliamentary Catholic Chaplaincy was set up at parliament and has been in operation for about 10 years.
  This presentation is aimed giving a brief history, achievements, challenges and the way forward.
  History
  The idea of the chaplaincy was conceived by some honorable MPs in 2002 in consultation with His Grace Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala the then Archbishop of Kampala with the main purpose of bridging the spiritual gap that was experienced by MPS and staff of parliament.
  Purpose
  ·  To take care of the spiritual needs of the Catholic MPs and staff.
  ·  To promote solidarity among MPS
  · To enhance and promote participation of the MPS and in the life of the church and other related catholic institution
  Membership
  Parliament is currently composed of 375 MPS out of whom approximately 117 are Catholics.
  Administration
  In my work I am assisted by a democratically elected chaplaincy executive committee from among the MPs and staff.
  Activities
  1. Weekly celebration of holy Mass
  2.Quarterly Holy Mass celebration presided over by a selected Bishop from any of the Ecclesiastical provinces of Uganda.
  3.  Ushering Members of Parliament and staff into the Lenten and Christmas seasons. 
  4.Out reach program. Giving spiritual, moral and material support.
  Achievements
  1.Availability of space in form of chapel under the patronage of St. Thomas Moore.
  2.Visibility, identity and Unity of the Catholic community in Parliament among both staff and MPs.
  3.Through homilies and counseling sessions to both group and individual members, the chaplaincy has reiterated the position of the Catholic Church on the centrality of the almighty God in the conduct public affairs especially in the area policy and legislative processes.
  4.Through the Chaplaincy, the Parliamentary Liaison Desk was established.
  5. In 2011, the chaplaincy successfully organized a constructive and familiarization interaction between Catholic Mps and Members of Uganda Episcopal Conference.
  Challenges
  ·Limited participation of members in weekly liturgical celebrations because of the busy schedules.
  · Inadequate understanding of the Social teaching of the Catholic Church as a tool to help them harmonize the church and state related issues.
  Recommendations 
  · Strengthen regional and diocesan meetings between MPs and diocesan Bishops.
  ·Continue organizing regular interaction between Members and Members of the Uganda Episcopal Conference.WHAT DO WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO CONCRETELY DO TOGETHER WITH THE CHURCH AS CATHOLICS TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE GOOD GOVERNANCE IN OUR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES?
• ACTION LINES
  KENYA
  Ø Work on the relationship between the church leaders and the parliamentarians. Make interest in their parliamentary needs. Nurturing and bonding
  Organize a social meeting with the parliamentarians.
  Ø Strategize the approach on communication with parliamentary group.
  Ø Get identification – get an introductory letter from the KEC secretary general formalizing the existence of Parliamentary Liaison Desk.
  Ø Support the members that cherish the values of the Catholic Church.
  Ø Use CMPSLI centre as an entry point to reach the parliamentarians.
  Ø Involvement with CMPSLI (k) - find out the needs of the parliamentarians.
  Ø Tangaza seems to be well entrenched
  Ø The church to accompany the MPs in everything.
  Ø The parliamentary liaison desk to contact Hon. Mwadeghu.
  Ø The church should work with structured committees of every government sector to reach the parliamentarians.
  Ø Collaboration with catholic universities for research.
  Ø Dialogue with Catholic MPs before bills is formulated.
  Ø Educate the MPs on the Social Doctrine of the Church.
  
  
  TANZANIA
  Ø Lobby the parliament to get more involved with international structures like Human rights.
  Ø Approach in an inter-religious forum
  Ø Involve one person who can facilitate a meeting with church leaders and like minded parliamentarians.
  Ø The CPT group link with one local bishop and establish the line in parliament.
  
  UGANDA
  Ø Uganda to liaise with Kenya and Tanzania Episcopal conference and help in formation.
  Ø Organize structured retreat for mps and the staff of parliament to enhance spiritual growth.
  Ø The church to collaborate with the parliamentarians when discussing a bill.
  Ø The church to educate the mps on social doctrine of the church.
  Ø Harmonize Justice and Peace activities.  
  AMECEA
  Ø CSJE
  o   Organizing workshops
  o   Repackage social doctrine of the church
  o   Involvement with EALA
  o   Organize retreats
  Ø EALA
  o   AMECEA will make a review of the peace and security draft and send to EALA.
  o   Liaise with the speaker of EALA who is a catholic.
  o   Inform Rwanda and Burundi on joining the rest of EALA members.
  Ø AMECEA countries
  o   Parliamentary ministry
  o   Register progress
  o   Link with EALA
  o   Communicate with the conferences of the two countries – Rwanda and Burundi and see whether the can be included in the process.
  ØFeed AMECEA with information on parliamentary ministry
  Ø Make use of the existing Justice and Peace blog.
   ØCoordinate harmonization of likeminded Christian organization – make an appeal to AMECEA executive board.
    Ø Application for AMECEA to be given observer status in EALA.
   Ø Dissemination of information through the catholic university council.
   Ø Sharing of information through AMECEA blog.
   Ø Organizing a meeting with parliamentarians per country.
   Ø Harmonization of various Justice and Peace activities to the various conferences.