Around the theme "Augustine and cultural dialogue: theoretical foundation, method and practice", about 30 religious, among them the Sisters of Mary of Kakamega (SMK) and the Augustinian Missionary Sisters, attended the last Augustinian Week that took place at the International House of Theology in the city of Nairobi, Kenya
Under the guidance of Fr. Kolawole Chabi OSA, professor at the Pontifical Augustinian Patristicum Institute, the week was, in their own words, "a wonderful moment of growth and encounter with St. Augustine." "In him we see a man who dialogues; who is not only a teacher but also a student; not only a speaker but also a good listener."
Following the event through the Zoom and Meeting platforms, the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) from Ghana, together with other sisters of ours from Nigeria, were able to deepen on the value of our Father Augustine in developing new areas of active listening, assertiveness, management of rejection and indifference through the acceptance of the dignity of the other and small techniques and resources for the peaceful resolution of everyday conflicts.
"St. Augustine believes in the power of the word, in dialogue as a method to bring out the deepest and richest ideas of people, transforming them. He listens, learns and from the input of the interlocutor comes to appreciate the knowledge of the speaker," Father Kolawole points out.
The man who spoke and listened to everyone to "expound the Catholic faith"
"As a method of teaching and learning," continues the professor of the Pontifical Patristicum Institute, "the dialogical method of St. Augustine has as its fundamental approach the search for truth. Moreover, because of his historical context, he had the opportunity to put it into practice with a wide range of interlocutors. Namely: pagan philosophers, Platonists, Jews and heretics; among them, Manichaeans, Donatists and Pelagians". "With each of these groups - assures Kolawole - Augustine tried to engage in a fair dialogue always starting from what he has in common with them and, from there, trying to expose what the Catholic faith is."
Besides thanking Father Pete Imaji "for his hard work and endurance in the organization and for making sure that the program was a success", all the attendees, the bursar and the Prior of the host community in Nairobi, Father Kolawole Chabi assures that "the Augustinian week has been a wonderful moment of intellectual, social, physical and spiritual growth; with great moments of joy and the desire to continue united in prayer".