IMBISA organizes a workshop for pastoral workers from the sub

Sheila Pires, Radio Veritas, Johannesburg

The theme of the meeting emphasized the importance of psycho-spiritual counseling for pastoral workers in the Church. Father Dumisani Vilakati, Director of the IMBISA Secretariat, in his opening speech, said that the theme followed the IMBISA Plenary held in Maputo in 2019, which identified the need of human formation for clergy and religious, which often leads to abuses in the Church.

The workshop was officially opened by Monsignor Joseph Sephamola, from Lesotho, a member of the IMBISA Permanent Council and head of the pastoral department of the IMBISA Secretariat. Five bishops from the IMBISA region were present as well as 32 priests, brothers and sisters from the English-speaking conferences of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana, and from the Portuguese-speaking conferences of Mozambique, Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe.

Experts from the region in different fields such as psychology, theology and safeguarding were invited to speak during the workshop.

The topics addressed

The topics covered during this workshop were:

Psycho-spiritual counselling, by Father José da Cruz Muluta; theological foundations of psychological counseling, by Father Rafael Sapato; the holistic nature of the human person, by Father James Juma; vulnerability of Catholic pastoral workers, by Brother Fortune Chakasara; unhealthy psychological consequences by Brother Otsetswe Musindo; Managing the Impacts of Covid-19 on Consecrated Life and Evangelization, by Sr. Maria Gabriela Brito André.

What came out strongly was the importance of integrating psychology and spirituality that addresses the holistic nature of the human person, mind, body and soul integrated, not compartmentalised.

The following proposals were made:

1. Form an association of professionals in the region specializing in psychology, spiritual direction and psycho-spirituality, and establish a database of these people.

2. Accompaniment of leaderships (bishops, superiors, priests and religious) on self-awareness and self-knowledge (with a focus on personality types, emotional intelligence, evaluations for seminarians and religious candidates).

3. Have an IMBISA Liaison Bishop for psycho-spiritual interventions and the development of a center/programs at IMBISA for such interventions.

4. Integrate psychology into the seminars, which is multidimensional: educational, developmental, therapeutic and evaluative, taking into account the African worldview.

5. Ongoing formation in the form of courses and workshops in the fields of psychology and psycho-spirituality.

In a conversation with Radio Veritas, Sr. Maria Gabriela Brito André, of the Diocese of Quelimane, spoke about the impact of covid-19 on religious men and women, as well as the lack of believers at Mass after confinement .

Bishop Leopoldo Ndakalako of the Diocese of Menongue, Angola, gave a lecture on the formation of children in his diocese, he also spoke about the role of young people in the next plenary session of IMBISA. Sister Natércia das Dores Nelson Mabote focused her communication on youth ministry in the diocese of Inhambane. Father José da Cruz Muluta, from the Archdiocese of Nampula, spoke about the objective of the workshop and the National Youth Congress and Sister Romílsia Pereira, from the Diocese of São Tomé, dwelt on the impact of covid-19 on family and religious life.