African Centre of Theology and Canon Law Conference in Kenya Lauded as “truly an important moment”

Nairobi, 03 December, 2025 / 11:44 PM

Archbishop Philip Anyolo Subira of Kenya's Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) has lauded the inauguration of the conference of the African Centre of Excellence in Theology and Canon Law (ACETCL), terming the moment as “truly important.”

In his inaugural address on the first day of the December 2-3 conference that was held at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), Archbishop Anyolo said that the centre is being realised at the time that “Africa is seeking meaning, justice, reconciliation, and hope.”

“I give thanks to God for the grace of this moment as we inaugurate the African Centre of Excellence in Theology and Canon Law. This is truly an important moment in the intellectual and spiritual journey of the Church in Africa,” he said in his Tuesday, December 2 address.

He added, “This Centre is being born at a time when Africa is seeking meaning, justice, reconciliation, and hope. In such a context, theology and canon law must become pathways towards healing, truth, and communion.”

The Kenyan Archbishop further explained that while Theology interprets faith within people's real struggles and aspirations,  Canon Law “must express justice informed by charity and guided by mercy.”

Organised by the ACETCL Conference Secretariat at CUEA, the two-day event was held on the theme, “Theology and Canon Law in Africa and the Global Contexts: Contributions, Challenges, and Opportunities.”

In his address, Archbishop Anyolo said that the centre must prioritise the salvation of the souls which the church considers as the “supreme law”. 

He cautioned against operations based on “mere schools of ideas” and called for a service to the People of God and to society.

“I am particularly pleased that theology and canon law are brought together in one Centre,” the Archbishop of Nairobi said, and added, “The Church does not live by doctrine alone, nor by law alone.”

He explained that the Church “lives where truth meets charity and where justice is clothed in compassion”, adding, “At your best, you will form scholars who are not only intelligent but wise; not only learned but pastoral; not only African by origin but African in vision.”

“Let this Centre cultivate a scholarship that is faithful to the universal Church while deeply rooted in African soil; one that listens to our people’s joys and sufferings and responds with intellectual honesty and spiritual depth,” he said.

Archbishop Anyolo said that the centre should cultivate excellence that goes beyond “mean imitation” and embrace “incarnation, and thinking deeply from our own context for the good of the whole Church.”

He challenged future students and scholars pf the Centre to remember always that their research is not for titles but for service. He said, “Your libraries should never be distant from parishes, hospitals, families, and the struggles of daily life.”

The Kenyan Archbishop, who also presided over the Holy Mass for the Conference, conveyed the Church’s gratitude and blessings to the leadership of CUEA and the founders of the Centre.

He implored, “May this Centre grow in wisdom, integrity, and humility, and may it serve both Church and society with distinction. May Mary, Seat of Wisdom, guide you.”

Meanwhile, in his homily on the same day, Archbishop Anyolo said that true theological and canonical insight is not merely the product of intellectual effort but a fruit of humility, receptivity, and a heart that is docile and open to the Spirit.

“As we open this conference focused on theology and canon law in Africa and within the global context, we stand in continuity with the same divine academic mission that has guided the Church for centuries,” he said.