AFRICA - African communities in Rome and the pastoral care of the local Church (2) - Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea

Wednesday, 19 July 2006

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - The Ghanaian community is one of the smallest African communities in Rome: in the beginning in 2001 it was formed of only ten Catholics. Today there are 50 and a chaplain Fr Joseph Blay. "We only meet on Sundays - the group leader Cecilia Agyeman-Anane tells Fides - After Mass over a Ghanaian meal we share our experiences". The community meets in the church of Sant'Anastasia al Palatino (Piazza Sant'Anastasia, tel. 06.439.370.75.69). It has a choir and a Catholic charismatic group. "We have a weekly telephone chain to make sure everyone is well and ask about needs - Cecilia continues -, When someone is ill we visit them". The group also tries to help members find a job and somewhere to live “because most people are unwilling to rent rooms to foreigners”. The community organises an annual retreat for a week in August and pilgrimage during the year.
The community of Senegalese has about 1000 members and since 1999 the Catholics have the Association of Senegalese Catholics in Rome led by Brother Joseph Ndour. The aims of the association are to make Senegalese Catholics feel they are part of the Christian family; promote music, history, literature, Senegalses Teranga and Diom, with cultural and recreational activities; strengthen solidarity with Senegalese religious; help one another in the new situation in Rome. Mass is celebrated twice a month at the church SS. Crocifisso (via di Bravetta 332, tel.: 06.545.921.69), and once a month there is Mass with hymns in Senegalese, followed by a conference and supper and dancing.
The Nigerian community was started in 1997 by Father Patrick Alumoko, in charge until 2000 of the Community which met in the church Santa Maria in Trastevere. Today Catholics among the 2,500 Nigerians in Rome have a point of reference at the church of Sant'Ambrogio (via Sant'Ambrogio della Massima 5, tel. 06.308.90.117) and Fr Robert Emeka. There is mass every Sunday at 10.30 in English with traditional Nigerian music. Many come in typical Nigerian dress. After Mass many stay to talk about problems in the new country. The Catholic Community is also informed of activities and meetings of Nigerians in general in the capital.
In Rome there are discreet communities from the Horn of Africa about 2,000 Ethiopians and 1,150 Eritreans. The communities were formed in the mid 1970s and Masses were celebrated at the ancient church of Santo Stefano of the Abyssinians in the Vatican. Later at the request of priests and the rector of the Pontifical Ethiopian College San Tommaso al Parione (via di Parione 33 tel. 06.686.95.40) was made available for the communities of Ethiopians and Eritreans. Fr Mehari Habtay coodrinates the mass and other activities and celebrates Mass in Copt Alexandrian Rite and in Ghe'ez, the language used by the sovereigns of Abyssinia until 1970. The communities also use a large hall in vicolo della Campanella 32 for social and religious activities. (M.P.) (Agenzia Fides 19/7/2006 - righe 44; parole 668)


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