Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle delivers the homily at a Mass opening the plenary assembly of the Bishops of Eastern Africa, and urges Christians in the region to care for one another and for all of God’s Creation.
By Angella Rwezaula – Dar Es Salaam
The Pro-Prefect of the Section for Evangelization of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization has urged Catholic Christians to have unconditional love for God’s Creation.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle was speaking in his homily at the official opening Mass of the 20th Plenary Assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), which took place at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar Salaam, Tanzania on Sunday, 10 July.
The Philippine-born Cardinal called on Christians to have a spirit of caring towards one another and for all the living things that God has created.
“We need to ask ourselves, why is it that caring is less these days? For those people that are married, when you see your husband or wife, do you see the image of God or something else?” wondered Cardinal Tagle.
Women participate in the Mass
Address root causes of environmental degradation
The Cardinal also urged the 20th AMECEA Assembly delegates to address the root cause of the environmental phenomenon brought by environmental degradation.
“We need to discuss the root cause of the environmental degradation to have concrete resolutions after the Assembly. Otherwise, we will have cosmetic resolutions from the assembly,” Cardinal Tagle said.
In separate remarks, Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, the Apostolic Nuncio for Kenya and Sudan, commended the AMECEA members for helping Catholics in the region celebrate their faith together.
The Nuncio cited the use of local languages for prayers during Holy Mass as a sign of co-existing among members in the AMECEA region.
“Only Arabic is missing during our prayers here,” he said. “That is the language spoken in South Sudan where I am coming from.”
The 10-day Assembly in Dar es Salaam will discuss more on the care for Creation and Laudato si’; faith, values, and ethics in the care for the environment; and, care for integral ecology: Church and Government Collaborations, as well as other issues.
The stadium saw thousands participate at Mass
