Master in Pastoral Ministry
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Browsing Master in Pastoral Ministry by Subject "Africa"
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- ItemIntegral Youth Formation: A Necessity for the Church in Africa(Tangaza University College/Duquesne University, 2011-12) Idowu, Olufunmilayo JosephineThe world and all that exists within it experience their own challenges. These challenges are part and parcel of growth. The world population as stated by CNN Tech stands at seven billion and 1.2 billion of the population are youths. The challenges facing the youth of today do not have much difference from one part of the world to another. My thesis is based on the problems facing the youth in Africa and the consequences on the Catholic Church in Africa. If the Church does not wake up to her responsibility of providing an integral formation for the youths then the future will not be promising. The youths of the 21 st Century are faced with problems such as: unemployment, lack of self awareness and self actualization, uncertainty and emotional anxieties, alcohol and drug abuse, pre-marital sexual acts, sexually transmitted diseases, exploitation from the adults, secularism, youth violence, lack of formal and informal education etc. 2 The Church has been an agent of the spiritual formation of the people of God for centuries and the youth have benefited from this formation, but the whole idea of spiritual formation will be less effective if human, intellectual and pastoral elements of formation are not properly integrated in the lives of the youth, especially in Africa. As the Church encourages an ongoing formation for priests likewise I believe it is necessary for the youth to be given a formation that is general and integral. This involves a process of constant growth, deepening each of the aspects of formation i.e. human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. 3 The Church does not only show love to those who are afflicted by human miseries but also seeks the growth of every human person. She nurtures and brings about development in the lives of her faithful. 4 I believe that an integral formation of the youth will not only spur transformation in the youth themselves but also in the society and in the Church. This transformation will lead them to become better citizens, men and women of integrity, people who live their vocation to the fullest, good leaders in the society and good Christians. The integrated formation of the social, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral aspects in the life of the youth will be of benefit to the Church in Africa. The conception “youth” means different things to different people in accordance to their experience with the youth. Some consider them rebels, others revolutionary, others consider them the conscience of the society, others see them as cheats, e.tc. Most times they are forgotten by the adults because they are considered still far from realising themselves. Pope Benedict sees them as those who yearn for happiness: “In every period of history, including our own, many young people experience a deep desire for personal relationships marked by truth and solidarity. Many of them yearn to build authentic friendships, to know true love, to start a family that will remain united, to achieve personal fulfilment and real security, all of which are the guarantee of a serene and happy future.” The challenges faced by the youth of today are challenges that either break them or make them. This moment in their life is a time of questioning, of searching, of falling in and out of love, of being rebellious, of fighting for justce. If all these challenges are addressed and properly taken care of, then the future is bright. The first part of this thesis has the information about my insertion experiences in Mother Bertilla Training School and among the members of the vocation group belonging to the congregation of the Daughters of St Paul. It also covers the socio-cultural analysis and pastoral concerns of these two places with the pastoral agents present there. My objective in doing this study, the problem that motivated my preference of this study, the significance of this thesis and scope within which I carried out my practicum experience are clearly in the first chapter. In the second chapter I presented a logical flow of realities concerning the theme of the thesis. With the aid of different available materials I have presented the theological and pastoral principles of the integral formation of young people in the scripture and the Church teachings. The third chapter presents the theological reflection supporting the theme of this thesis. Since the theme of the thesis is about the integral formation of the young people, the theological reflection is based on the sound teachings of the Church and its connection to the Christian calling to holiness. This calling includes the prophetic role of the young people in the Church and the Church’s role in their lives as God’s children. It also elaborates the benefit of the integral formation of the youth to the growing Church of Africa. The final chapter of the thesis is about the recommendations and pastoral plan for action, with the summary of my findings, pastoral conclusions, pastoral recommendations and pastoral plan for required action in view of the problems or deficiencies observed. The integral formation of the young people in the Church is a necessity that not only prepares the youth for the future but also it fulfils the mission of the Church to nurture every member of Christ’s body, which is every member of the Church. The recognition of the importance of today’s young people along with their vitality is a benefit of the Church in Africa. Pope John Paul II, calls our attention to this fact by saying: The Church needs to recognize the positive impact the young people have on her. She is to make use of their active and joyful spirit in energizing the Church in Africa.
- ItemSmall Christian Community as a Platform for Continuous Catechesis in Africa --Opportunities and Challenges: Case Study of Our Lady Queen of Peace, South B(Tangaza University College/Duquesne University, 2016) Chimenge, Sylvester MimbululuFrom the teaching of the Catholic Church we learn that God created us in love so that we may know Him, love Him and come to live with Him eternally (cf. CCC 1). This means that our first vocation as human beings is the search for the living God. It is this search which leads us to the knowledge and love of God and points us to our final destiny, which is the Heavenly Kingdom. St Augustine stated it very well when he said that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. Meaning that, in the hearts of human beings there is a continuous searching for God, continuous longing for God’s love and continuous yearning for being with God eternally. The Church is the mother that helps her children to come to the full knowledge of God, to develop a true love for God and directs her children on the way back to God. Faith formation begins at birth and ends at death, thus, catechesis is a continuous process as long as one lives. The purpose of catechesis is to bring life to faith and bring faith to life so that the human being may echo in his or her life the words of St Paul which says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith” (Gal. 2:20-21). Meaning that, Jesus Christ the son of the living God is the centre and focus of catechesis. Faith formation is the main mission of the Church, as Pope Paul VI puts it, “the Church exists in order to evangelize, that is to say in order to preach and teach, to be the channel of the gifts of grace, to reconcile sinners with God, and perpetuate Christ’s sacrifice in the mass, which is the memorial of his death and glorious resurrection” (EN, 11). For this reason, the Church strives to bring people to faith in the love of God and to faith in Jesus Christ as their personal savior. The Church also strives to accompany people in their journey of faith so that their faith may grow to maturity and that people may come to the full awareness of the purpose of their life according to the will of God. Therefore, whenever the Church finds that one method of evangelizing is not as effective as expected, she finds another method to complement the old one. This thesis endeavors to analyze Small Christian Communities as a platform for continuous catechesis in Eastern Africa. The AMECEA region consists of nine member countries namely: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. According to Healey, the region has about 180, 000 Small Christian Communities. 1 The thesis looks at some essential elements that are found in Small Christian Communities (SCCs) which can foster the ongoing formation of faith. It also looks at some challenges found in SCCs that can be hindrances to continuous formation of faith. In the first chapter, the researcher presents the background of the study and the problem statement. He also presents the research objectives, research questions and the significant of the study. In the collection of data and the writing of this thesis, the researcher used the pastoral cycle methodology which involves four steps namely; insertion, social analysis, theological reflection and action.