Ethiopian Catholic Church Encounter (ECCE)
The Latin word ‘Ecce’ is mentioned at least twice in the New Testament (John 19:5; 19,27), ‘Ecce Homo’ behold the Man and... Consequently, both Biblical texts are associated with the concept and the act of encounter. The second one concentrates on Christ as mediator, between God and man, creating a new dimension of relationship. This implies an authentic, personal and holistic encounter with the Living Jesus Christ present and active in the Church. Such concepts express the aspiration of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia, not only to be a bridge of encounter with God, but also with one anther as brothers and sisters of a new family of God. The holy family is the patron of this Web site, reflecting African theology’s emphasis on the Church as a family.
The intention of this site is to give insight into the activities of the Ethiopian Catholic Church in the Motherland and in the Diaspora. We hope both to inform you about the Ethiopian church and to stimulate the collection of useful material as well as the formation of a forum for discussion on church affairs. To further these aims the internet site is divided into different sections. They can be classified as follows: The first gives an overview of the different dioceses and the bishops responsible for them. Subsequently there is the ECCF or Ethiopian Catholic Clergy Forum, which encourages exchange among Catholic clergy within Ethiopia and abroad. Subsequently the ECLF Ethiopian Catholic Laity Forum, which encourages similar exchange among Catholic laity. EECD Ethiopian Catholic Communities in the Diaspora explains the activities of the Ethiopian Catholic Church abroad. Then there is the EIDE - Ethiopian Ecumenical and Inter-religious Dialogue in Ethiopia, which deals with the important matter of relations between the Catholic community and other more numerous religious communities. Following this is the section on a cultural institution the Admas foundation, which is at a formative stage and active primarily in the Netherlands. Finally, there is the EMCA Ethiopian Millenium Change Activities, which in accordance with the Ethiopian calendar is orientated towards the upcoming celebration of the Ethiopian Millenium.
This initiative has been launched by members of the Ethiopian Catholic Diaspora Communities to serve the entire Ethiopian Catholic faithful.