TICLA – 2nd Day, November 15, 2018
At last, the well-attended International Conference of the Consecrated Life in Mission organized by the Theological Institute of Consecrated Life in Africa established by the Claretian Missionaries in Africa, ended in the evening of the above date at DRACC, Enugu.
The day started, as usual, with the 6.30am Adoration and Benediction. The Eucharistic celebration led by Most Rev. Dr Hilary Dachelem, cmf, Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Bauchi, followed immediately. Being a former member of the TICLA committee, the Prelate invited all present to use this peculiar opportune moment of the Conference to re-examine our call to the Consecrated Life. He tasked the participants to proffer ways and means to present authentic African dimension to the questions and challenges bothering on this special vocation in both the particular and universal Missions of Christ and his Church in the world.
– Fr Jude Langeh, CMF, a Delegation Consultor from the Cameroon mission made to the podium. He is in-charge of the Mission Procura, Bible Ministry, Publications and Communications of that Mission. He drew the ugly and undesirable image of the unhealthy happenstances in the religious and socio-
political life of Southern Cameroonians by masterful analysis of SKILLS AND CHALLENGES IN COLLABORATIVE MINISTRY. He brought the discussion to its present existential phenomenon which affects the opinion of the Church as an Institution of truth, peace and justice. There is need for a determined effort towards concrete, unified and prophetic actions among the Clergy and the Religious in the issues that concern the Church and the people to whom we minister.
– Msgr Jerome Madueke, an experienced pastoral personality from Awka Diocese believes that, for years, the discussions on Collaborations have gathered dusts in the archives. What are the concrete measures that would bring these ideas to 
tangible realities and practices? In fact, rather than hinge on the concept in question – Collaboration in Mission – in his Paper, he preferred the terminology CO-RESPONSIBILITY (IN MISSION). It’s not enough to flood seminars with the theme on Collaboration while not understanding or negating entirely the elephant in the house, Co-responsibility. The more we discuss the former in isolation, the less we collaborate. “Power is negotiated”, he emphasized. Never given freely. There are two forces to action we need to guzzle: Ability to know (Intellect) and Ready to do (Will). He thus classified the underpinning processes and elements – the 5 Cs – that are sine qua non in engineering collaborative ministry: Conversion, Contemplation, Communication, Community and Communion.
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04.00pm – 4 DISCUSSION GROUPS
The Conference went into 4 group session. Each, with a leader and secretary, to brainstorm on the same questions and respond adequately as the spirit directed.
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSIONS:
1. Given the impact of culture in Paul’s time and in our society today, what is the way forward for a Collaborative Ministry?
2. How can the limitations of culture be re-addressed for a better Collaborative Ministry?
Then came the concluding plenary of the Conference. There were general questions, clarifications, inputs etc. The breath of the Conference was articulated 
in a concise and very comprehensible Communiqué (attached on the highlights). It preceded the vote of thanks given by Sr Stella Eke, MSHR. She wittingly “voted” the Conference Organizers – the Claretian Missionaries – and scored them a 100%. However, she thanked all the PARTICIPANTS of the 2018 TICLA Conference. She gave them a 101% ovation.
Bishop Hilary Dachelem, cmf gave the closing blessings and declared the 2nd TICLA Symposium, held at the Daughters of Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre, Emene-Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria closed at 07.45pm.
Friday, November 16, 2018, 06.00am – Bishop Dachelem led the final Mass, at the end of which, Fr Peter Okonkwo, CMF, the Chairman TICLA Organizing Committee gave the general and final vote of thanks. Breakfast and Departures.
Last Words
Collaborative Ministry is neither an intellectual Symposium nor a mere Assembly. It does not exist in temporality (time-frame, timetable). It is a consciously valued life lived in constant, daily and mutual dialogue with others in the community of Christ and his Mission.
Consequently, the office of the TICLA Secretariat and the Communications Directorate opened a social media Chat Group to keep the dialogue aflame.
Bravo Claretian Missionaries in Africa!
Bravo Participants of the 2nd TICLA – the Religious and the Diocesans!
<<Access the Communiqué in PDF with a click here>>
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