Bro. SERGE aa AT THE COPTIC

Apostolate at the Coptic Orthodox Church in Nairobi.

One aspect of the Assumptionist threefold seal is ecumenism. Grasped at as both a gift of God in our time and a movement that Christians undertake toward unity, ecumenism fits itself in the whole framework of Christian unity willed by Jesus. This is expressed in his priestly prayer “That they may be one...” (Cf Jn17, 20ff). This unity is to be understood as perfect oneness ruling out any slavish form of togetherness. It is rendered possible by some requisite means among which the return to Sacred Scriptures and a sincere dialogue. It includes the unity of faith, unity in the sacramental life and unity in ministry.

It is out of these convictions that I committed myself to work with the Coptic Orthodox Church in Nairobi. This apostolate is rightly termed “mission” and represents centrist or mainline Catholic thinking. My focus at this step with the Coptic is at the second and fourth form of mission: the mission as service and the mission as proclamation.

In concert with Abouna (the Coptic priest), and working under the mission as service, we strive with what we have at our own disposal to build a just society where human dignity is normative and the struggle for daily needs is minimal. We are involved in health care, education, almsgiving, paying visit to prisoners, to the sick people and all the like. Furthermore, under the mission as proclamation, we witness to the gospel preached/shared during youths meeting and when opportunities are given in hospitals, prisons and in the unwanted ones site. Our bible sharing includes obviously moral exhortation!

My purpose in venturing in this mission rules out as a goal the increase of membership and/or proselytism; but the upshot is for a more profound turn to Transcendence, Mystery, and ultimately to God. Rather than engaging ourselves in theological controversies while people are dying because of lack of basic necessities, we accept to commit ourselves in fighting against human wickedness. That is why, strongly abiding by the insights of Redemptoris Missio 57, I can say that as Assumptionists, much more as Catholics, we are called to mission/dialogue with other denominations; that is a mission/dialogue that enhances human dignity and social solidarity.   

                                                Serge Patrick Simo, a.a.