II Pan-African Congress on Theology, Society and Pastoral Life

(Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network)

Catholic University in Eastern Africa (CUEA)

Nairobi, Kenya

Tuesday, 19 July 2022

African Theologians Are Now Writing Their Own Histories and Theologies  — Why the Handbook of African Catholicism is Important

By Joseph Healey, MM

Good evening. Greetings to everyone across Africa and across the world.

I have the privilege to present this very big book Handbook of African Catholicism that is

789 pages. Many of you wrote chapters. [Hold up Handbook]

There is a famous African proverb with variations in many African languages: Until the lions have their own historians the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter (French: A moins ce que le lion ait son propre narrateur, le chasseur aura toujours la belle part de l’histoire). Or Until the lion has his or her own storyteller, the hunter will always have the best part of the story……………..Read More