What we do and who we are
The African Catholic Mission was established as a direct result of the National Congress of Black Catholics held in1990 by CARJ. It aims to unite African Catholics in Britain, to provide for their spiritual and pastoral care; spread and deepen their Catholic faith; liaise with the Churches throughout Africa and Britain; and to make the liturgy more meaningful to them. By so doing we seek to foster links with the life of the Church and all people in Britain and Africa.Since 1990, after the first Black Catholic Conference and the Charter, and the response by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, the Church in the UK has made some progress towards racial discrimination and integration of the African Communities in our parishes but it still has a long way to go.
The coming to life of the African Catholic Mission has provided us with so many opportunities and challenges which have been welcomed with enthusiasm, dedication and commitment. Paramount to and at the centre of our work is the establishment of African Catholic Chaplaincies and Associations for some African Communities, and African Associations in Parishes for small Communities. We have continued with your prayers and support to work with the emerging African Catholic Community leaders, many parish priests, the hierarchy and other leaders. No doubt, we have been able to meet some of the demands by our attitude of purpose, our commitment and determination to influence perception and attitude.
We are aware that without the Holy Spirit which has guided us, at times under severe pressure and stress, we couldn’t have been successful. Catholics from different African Countries in the UK are encouraged to form African Associations in their Parishes. As the number of Catholics from the same country increases in different parishes, they are encouraged to form National Associations. When a particular Community Association increases in number and is well organised and capable of maintaining its own national Chaplain, the National Catholic Bishops’ Conference of that Community is contacted by the Bishop for the Ethnic Chaplaincies to nominate a priest to come to London to provide that Community with pastoral care. The priest is then officially appointed Chaplain in London to provide for the pastoral needs of his community. That Community Association then becomes a National Chaplaincy or Quasi Parish. On the other hand, all the remaining African Communities (or the Associations) without their own National Chaplaincies also operate under the Pan-African Catholic Chaplaincy
The African Catholic Mission is therefore the structure which coordinates the activities of all the African Communities. It is the founding and umbrella organisation of African Catholic Chaplaincies and Associations in Britain. The African Mission is responsible for matters concerning the continent of Africa . However it does not deal with national issues of the various National Chaplaincies.
Some Achievements: African Mission has established eight National Chaplaincies, nine National Associations and a number of African Associations. African Communities are now active in their parishes and this has helped to increase Mass attendance in some Parishes. African Chaplains and priests work in the parishes, prisons, hospital and schools. African Choirs support the various parishes and participate in diocesan and national events. Above all, African Mission has brought vibrancy to the parishes. In 2006 His Holiness Pope Francis appointed the Zimbabwean Chaplain in London as Bishop of Gweru Diocese in Zimbabwe. African Communities participates in charitable activities to support their parishes and their countries of origin. At the Pan African Annual Mass held in September 2014, an amount of £602 was raised to support the victims of Ebola Outbreak in Africa.
Parish Integration: Now African Catholics are encouraged to attend parish mass and participate in parish activities. We have therefore proved that we are not propagating for a separate church but to be part of the universal Church. However, the struggle for full emancipation and religious tolerance has not yet been fully won – we have to persevere in prayer in our collective effort to achieve full acceptance and empowerment of African Catholics. As part of the body of Christ, African Catholics have roles to play in our parishes. To this end, the Bishops have opened many avenues.
Cardinal Murphy O’Connor warned in his opening address that ‘as Christians and Catholics we have a special responsibility to work for the transformation of attitude in our homes, our workplaces and in our Communities which will render the term “institutionalised racism” an anachronism’. Archbishop Sarpong said ‘Racial injustice is a complete denial of the existence of a God whose love is the cause of the creation of all human beings irrespective of their origin or colour and whose providence keep us all in existence. Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo also said.
African Chaplains: From 2006 we have seen the arrival of African Chaplains who are nominated by their National Bishops’ Conferences and appointed as Chaplains by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. The three London Dioceses (Westminster, Southwark and Brentwood) under the leadership of Bishop Alan Hopes (now Bishop of East Anglia) have been able to develop the Ethnic Chaplaincies as we see today.
African Forum: One of our priority was to organise Annual Forum for the African Communities in London. The first Annual African Forum was held on 2006 and the key note speaker was Cardinal John Onaiyekan (then president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar). The second Annual Forum for the African Community was also held on 30th December 2007 and the keynote Speaker was Bishop Alan Hopes, Bishop of East Anglia. On 21 May 2012, Bishop Declan Lang, Bishop of Clifton and Chairman of the International Affairs of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales kindly introduced the Catholic African Forum. The African Chaplains attend the meeting as one organization.
African Solidarity
The African Mission is determined to provide a pathway to a more positive future for African Catholics and relieve the pressure on the parishes by providing complementary services. What we now need is understanding, co- operation and solidarity. We kindly appeal to all people of goodwill to discourage those individual and groups who seek support to foster divisions in the various African Communities to achieve their own personal or corporate ambitions. Together, we can make a difference and that with faith and trust we can take our full place in the Church. ‘The dream will not fade.
Our Key Role
We should be delighted with the excellent progress being made, especially the responses to some of our needs. The key role of the African Catholic Mission is to organise the African Communities into national Chaplaincies and integrate them into the parish life; and act as an advocate for the African Communities. ‘This is a delicate task and a continuing challenge and opportunity for our dioceses and parishes’ said Archbishop Kevin McDonald of Southwark.
RECIPROCAL MISSION
African Clergy have a part to play in the future life of the Church in Britain- a time to reciprocate what the missionaries risked their life to achieve in Africa. Now we begin to have parish priests and permanent deacons in Britain who are of African origin. If we continue to focus on African solidarity and proper integration of African Communities into the parishes then the appointment of an African Bishop in Britain will then became a reality!
Financial Support: The major problems concerning the African Mission is lack of funding and commitment by the African Communities themselves. While we appeal for financial support, we urge the African Communities themselves to acknowledge our reality in terms of our experiences of racism and recognise the alienation that we often feel and support the work of African Mission. African Catholics need opportunity, not sympathy!
Conclusion: If the political leaders in Africa have now recognised the weakness of an individual African State in relation to the external world, then Africa Catholics in Britain must continue to work together under the umbrella of the African Catholic Mission. The African Mission is a perfect opportunity for African Catholics to work with the parishes across the U.K to ensure that our pastoral needs are adequately met. The African Mission programme should be seen as a catalyst for action for African Catholics, in general, to present their case in person to the Bishops. As St. Daniel Comboni said, “the destiny of Africans lies in their own hands “. Catholics need opportunity not sympathy!