AN ANALYSIS OF PARTICIPATIVE STRUCTURES IN SELECTED PARTICULAR CHURCHES IN EASTERN AFRICA IN LIGHT OF THE 1983 CODE OF CANON LAW by Lennoxie N. LUSABE A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Canon Law, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Doctor of Canon Law Ottawa, Canada Saint Paul University 2017 © Lennoxie N. LUSABE, Ottawa, Canada 2017 ABSTRACT This thesis analyses participative structures in selected particular Churches in the AMECEA1 region and proposes some concrete means through which active participation of the Christian faithful may be fostered in the participative structures of these Churches. Structures of participation are means whereby a communio ecclesiology finds expression. The 1983 Code provides for a greater number of participative structures in a particular Church in order to reflect communio. This study focuses on five of these participative structures: the diocesan synod, the diocesan finance council, the presbyteral council, the college of consultors, and the diocesan pastoral council, treating their nature, purpose, composition, functions, and cessation. Pope Francis emphasizes the principle of synodality, a constitutive element of the Church, as offering the most appropriate interpretative framework for understanding the Church. For synodality to be a reality, there is an urgent need for the renewal of participative structures. Areas of renewal include: the training of bishops, presbyters, and the laity in servant-leadership skills; intensification of ongoing formation of presbyters; revamped seminary formation programmes based on the Ratio fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis, 2016; a greater use of the deliberative vote in participative structures; identifying the purposes of the participative structures and making the best use of them. 1 AMECEA stands for “Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa.” TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS……….……………………………………………...…… iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………........ viii ABBREVIATIONS………………………………………………………………….. x GENERAL INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………. 1 CHAPTER ONE CURRENT SITUATION OF PARTICIPATIVE STRUCTURES IN SELECTED PARTICULAR CHURCHES WITHIN THE AMECEA REGION INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………… 6 1.1 THE AMECEA…………………………………………………………………… 6 1.1.1 The Socio-Cultural and Political Context of the AMECEA Region: Past and Present……………………………………………………………………… 7 1.1.1.1 The Historical, Cultural, and Religious Heritage of the People of the AMECEA……………………………………………………………………. 7 1.1.1.2 The Concept of Family………………………………………………. 11 1.1.1.3 The Notion of Patriarchy…………………………………………….. 13 1.1.1.4 Politics, Social Order, and Conflict Resolution……………………… 15 1.1.1.5 Theology in Context…………………………………………..…........ 23 1.1.1.6 The Missionaries to Eastern Africa……………… ………………….. 25 1.1.2 A Brief History of the AMECEA......………………………………………… 32 1.1.3 The Nature and Purpose of the AMECEA…………………………………… 38 1.1.4 The Membership……………………………………….…………………….. 42 1.1.5 The Structure of the Association…………………………………………….. 43 1.1.6 The Statutes (Constitution) of the Association………………………………. 45 1.2 SELECTED CANONICAL STRUCTURES IN THREE AMECEA DIOCESES……………………………………………………………………. 48 1.2.1 DIOCESE A, KENYA ……………………………………………………… 50 1.2.1.1 The Diocesan Synod ……………………………………………………… 51 1.2.1.2 The Presbyteral Council ………………………………………………….. 52 1.2.1.3 The College of Consultors ………………………………………………... 53 1.2.1.4 The Diocesan Finance Council……………………………………………. 54 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv 1.2.1.5 The Diocesan Pastoral Council ……………………………………………. 54 1.2.2 DIOCESE B, UGANDA …..………..………………………………..…….. 55 1.2.2.1 The Diocese Synod ………………………………………………………. 56 1.2.2.2 The Presbyteral Council ………………………………………………….. 57 1.2.2.3 The College of Consultors ………………………………………………… 57 1.2.2.4 The Diocesan Finance Council……………………..……………………… 58 1.2.2.5 The Diocesan Pastoral Council ………………………………………….... 58 1.2.3 DIOCESE Y, TANZANIA …………………………………….…………… 61 1.2.3.1 The Diocesan Synod………………………………………………… 61 1.2.3.2 The Presbyteral Council….…………………………………………. 62 1.2.3.3 The College of Consultors…..………………………………………. 63 1.2.3.4 The Diocesan Finance Council……………………………………… 64 1.2.3.5 The Diocesan Pastoral Council ……….…………………………….. 64 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………… 65 CHAPTER TWO THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CANONICAL STRUCTURES WITHIN A PARTICULAR CHURCH. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………….. 69 2.1 THE NOTION OF KOINONIA / COMMUNIO ……………………………….. 71 2.2 COMMUNIO ECCLESIOLOGY IN LUMEN GENTIUM ……………………. 75 2.2.1 The Church as Mystery of Communion……………………………….……. 76 2.2.2 Universal and Particular Churches………………………………………….. 82 2.2.3 Communion of Churches, Eucharist, and Episcopate……………………..... 83 2.2.4 Unity and Diversity in Ecclesial Communion………………………………. 85 2.2.5 Ecclesial Communion and Ecumenism….………………………………….. 86 2.3 POPE JOHN PAUL II AND VATICAN II COMMUNIO ECCLESIOLOGY.… 88 2.4 POPE BENEDICT XVI AND VATICAN II COMMUNIO ECCLESIOLOGY… 93 2.5 ECCLESIA IN AFRICA AND CHURCH AS FAMILY OF GOD……………... 96 2.6 SYNTHESIS…………………………………………………………………… 98 2.7 SELECTED PARTICIPATIVE STRUCTURES IN CONCILIAR AND POST-CONCILIAR DOCUMENTS………………………………………… 99 TABLE OF CONTENTS v 2.7.1 Vatican II Documents……………………………………………………… 99 2.7.1.1 The Diocesan Synod...........…………………………………………….. 99 2.7.1.2 The Diocesan Finance Council…………………………………………. 100 2.7.1.3 The Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors……………….. 102 2.7.1.4 The Diocesan Pastoral Council……........................................................ 106 2.7.2 Post Conciliar Documents…………………………………………………. 107 2.7.2.1 Motu proprio Ecclesiae sanctae………………………………………... 108 2.7.2.2 Ecclesiae imago………………………………………………………… 109 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………. 127 CHAPTER THREE SELECTED PARTICIPATIVE STRUCTURES WITHIN A PARTICULAR CHURCH ACCORDING TO THE 1983 CODE INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………….. 131 3.1 THE DIOCESAN SYNOD….………………………………………………… 137 Introduction……………………………………………………………………….. 137 3.1.1 Antecedents to the Diocesan Synod of the 1983 Code……………………… 138 3.1.1.1 The Early Church………………………………………………………... 139 3.1.1.2 The Middle Ages………………………………………………………... 140 3.1.1.3 The 1917 Code…………………………………………………………... 142 3.1.1.4 Ecclesiae sanctae………………………………………………………... 153 3.1.2 Nature and Purpose……………………………..…………………………… 153 3.1.2.1 Convocation……………………………………………………………... 155 3.1.2.2 Preparation and Celebration……………………………………………… 157 3.1.3 Composition…………………….………………………………………….... 157 3.1.4 Functions……………………….……………………………………………. 159 3.1.5 Cessation………….………………………………………………………… 161 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………… 162 3.2 THE DIOCESAN FINANCE COUNCIL…....................................................... 162 Introduction….…………………………………………………………………….. 162 3.2.1 Antecedents to the Diocesan Finance Council of the 1983 Code…….……… 163 3.2.1.1 The Early Church…..................................................................................... 164 3.2.1.2 The Middle Ages……………………………………………………….... 165 3.2.1.3 The 1917 Code…......................................................................................... 167 3.2.2 Nature and Purpose………………………………………………………….. 172 3.2.3 Composition……….…………………….…………………………………... 173 3.2.4 Functions……………………….…………………………………………….. 175 3.2.5 Cessation……….…………………………...……………………………….. 179 Conclusion…............................................................................................................. 180 TABLE OF CONTENTS vi 3.3 THE PRESBYTERAL COUNCIL…………………………………………….. 181 Introduction………………………………………………………………………. 181 3.3.1 Antecedents to the Presbyteral Council of the 1983 Code…..……………… 182 3.3.1.1 The Early Church…................................................................................. 182 3.3.1.2 The Middle Ages………………………………………………………... 187 3.3.1.3 The 1917 Code…………………………………………………………... 191 3.3.1.4 Ecclesiae sanctae………………………………………………………… 194 3.3.2 Nature and Purpose…...................................................................................... 195 3.3.3 Composition…………………....…………………………………………… 198 3.3.4 Functions……………………..….………………………………………….. 200 3.3.5 Cessation………………….…………………………………………………. 203 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………… 204 3.4 THE COLLEGE OF CONSULTORS…………………………………………. 205 Introduction………………………………………………………………………. 205 3.4.1 Antecedents to the College of Consultors of the 1983 Code…..…………… 206 3.4.1.1 The Councils of Baltimore………………………………………………. 207 3.4.1.2 The 1917 Code…………………………………………………………... 213 3.4.2 Nature and Purpose…………………………………………………………. 218 3.4.3 Composition…..………………………….…………………………………. 219 3.4.4 Functions……………..…………………………………………………….. 221 3.4.5 Cessation…….……………….……………………………………………... 224 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………... 224 3.5 THE DIOCESAN PASTORAL COUNCIL…………………………………... 225 Introduction………………………………………………………………………. 225 3.5.1 Antecedents to the Diocesan Pastoral Council of the 1983 Code………...... 226 3.5.1.1 Christus Dominus………………………………………………………. 227 3.5.1.2 Ecclesiae sanctae……………………………………………………….. 227 3.5.2 Nature and Purpose…………………………………………………………. 229 3.5.3 Composition……..…………………….…..……………………………….. 230 3.5.4 Functions………………………..…………………………………………. 232 3.5.5 Cessation…………………………………………………………………... 233 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….. 234 3.6 JURIDICTIC DOCUMENTS ON SELECTED STRUCTURES AFTER THE 1983 CODE OF CANON LAW……………………………………………………. 235 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………. 249 TABLE OF CONTENTS vii CHAPTER FOUR APPLICATION OF THE CANONICAL NORMS ON DIOCESAN STRUCTURES TO SELECTED PARTICULAR CHURCHES IN THE AMECEA