On Thursday February 5th, Theology on Tap reconvened for the first time this year with Fr. Damian Anumba, a native Nigerian, to speak about the Catholic Church in Africa. He was originally stationed at Christ the King in 2019, and he took a moment to remember the late Fr. Norman Fischer for welcoming him into the Diocese. Fr. Damian was then relocated to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Corbin, Kentucky, for the past 4 years. He was called back to Lexington in 2025 to serve as pastor of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church upon the passing of Fr. Norman, whose legacy left a lasting impact on Fr. Damian to encourage young adults to touch peoples’ lives with love, kindness, and justice.
Fr. Damian went on to explain Africa and Christianity’s place in it. In fact, he pointed out that the faith’s existence was long established since the Israelites’ days in Egypt before European colonizers made landfall. Another fun fact he mentioned was that Algeria is the largest country in landmass, but the most populous is Nigeria – estimating almost 247,000,000 residents across 36 states.
Although there are 54 different countries within the continent, he introduced the philosophy of “Ubuntu” — which encourages an interconnected community among nations regardless of denominations or backgrounds. The concept conveys everybody holding hands and walking together, no matter who they are. Ubuntu is centered on the statement “I am today because we are” – to cherish and promote inclusivity among one another. To better describe it, he offered an analogy in which one tree cannot make a forest.
How does this tie into the scrutiny of latest persecutions among Christians in Africa? Fr. Damian clarified that even though the news keeps delivering such heartache, the church keeps growing by promising and preaching the one mission: Christ is Lord in whom all the hopeless and broken can come together finding hope. Ubuntu embodies the idea everyone is welcome as the church doors are always open to all who seek faith.
As we prepare to enter Lent, let us practice some form of Ubuntu ourselves by opening our hearts, clearing our minds, and relinquishing all fear to allow Christ into our lives during the time of fasting.