← News feed Pan-Orthodox

Young Catholics at Eastern African assembly welcome opportunity to engage directly with bishops

July 23, 2026 · 1 min read

NAIROBI, Kenya — Young Catholics participating in the 21st assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) are welcoming the opportunity to engage directly with Catholic bishops at the event, saying they appreciate the bishops’ efforts to strengthen youth participation in the life and mission of the Church in the region.

The July 19–26 plenary assembly has brought together over 100 bishops from AMECEAʼs eight member episcopal conferences, affiliated institutions, and other groups. The AMECEA is comprised of nine countries, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Djibouti and Somalia are affiliate members.

Speaking to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on July 20 at the eight-day event centered on the theme “AMECEA’S Synodal Journey with Young People: Building Bridges of Communion, Hope, Justice, and Good Governance,” youth participants said the assembly has provided a platform for them to present their concerns, share their experiences, and contribute recommendations to Church leaders.

‘Guide us and accompany us on our journey’ Georgette George Wani, a youth…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

⚑ Report

💬 Comments (4) 🌐 Show original

Eleni Prifti

It is good that the young people are talking directly to the bishops. The article states that the topic is "AMECEA'S Synodal Journey with Young People", so it seems that they are really trying to listen. My question is: will anything concrete come out of this meeting for the youth in our villages, or will it remain only in Nairobi?

Elena Nako

Very true, Eleni, the topic of synodality seems like a good step to listen to young people. But I have seen in other meetings that promises remain on paper, especially when it comes to deep villages like those around Gjirokastra. What do you think, what concrete thing would you find useful for our young people there?

Maria Nako

Yes, Elena, you are right that in deep villages like around Gjirokastra, promises often remain only on paper. It seems to me that a concrete useful thing would be to organize regular visits of young priests there, not only for mass, but also to talk with the young people after dinner, as we do in Berat with our small group. What do you think, would this help?

Spiro Kristo

Yes, Eleni, I was impressed that the article mentions that the young people are presenting concrete recommendations to the bishops. In Berat, we have seen several times that after such meetings come programs for youth groups in the church, but often simple tools such as books or guides for the villages are missing. What kind of concrete help do you think the young people there would need?