Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state. Here in the Horn of Africa no fewer than 80 different ethnic groups rub shoulders together, speaking as many different languages. Christianity in Ethiopia can look back on almost 2000 years of history today. Roughly 45% of the population belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, whereas Catholic Christianity is still relatively young in the country and Catholics today account for a minority of just around 1% of the country‘s approximately 112 million inhabitants.
Yet although Christianity in Ethiopia has such deep and ancient roots, there are nevertheless still tribes which have never heard of Jesus Christ. Not surprisingly, they live in remote and underdeveloped regions where there is very little infrastructure and where people still live very much as their ancestors did long ago. Among those caring for these people are the „Apostles of Jesus Missionaries“, a congregation founded in Uganda in the 1960s for men wishing to serve in the field of primary evangelisation. In other words these men – priests and brothers – are proclaiming Christ in places where the people have still not come into contact with the Christian faith. They have now been working in Ethiopia since 1992.
Father Pius Prosper Nagawantu, the Superior of the congregation, has written to us from the diocese of Awassa, in the south of Ethiopia, where there are currently violent conflicts between various different ethnic groups. He writes: „In our work of primary evangelisation there is a great deal still to do here. So we are working very hard to establish Catholic communities in this vast region. The 33 years we have already spent working in Ethiopia have been a time for us of witnessing to God in the most difficult conditions and meeting people in their humanity at their weakest point. In this environment we are sharing in Christ‘s compassion for his sheep in the face of political, social, economic and cultural difficulties and conflicts. We remind ourselves of the words of Jesus, who said to his disciples, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” (Mt 14:16). Despite all the insecurity, we, the Apostles of Christ Missionaries, are continuing to bear witness for Christ in places where the Catholic faith has never yet been preached.“
Father Pius is requesting Mass stipends for the five missionaries currently proclaiming the Gospel in the diocese of Awassa to people who have never heard of Christ. They have no other source of income. We have gladly agreed to pass on some of your Mass stipends to them.
