Background of the Meki Catholic Secretariat (MCS)
The Meki Catholic Secretariat (MCS) is the operational arm and central coordinating body of the Apostolic Vicariate of Meki. Established in 1995 following the decentralization of the Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat (ECS), the MCS was founded to harmonize and strengthen the Vicariate’s dual mission of spiritual growth and social development.
Our Integrated Mission
From its inception, the MCS was structured around two core pillars:
- The Pastoral Ministry: Focusing on the spiritual activities and faith formation of the community.
- The Social Ministry: Dedicated to social and development activities that improve the quality of life.
This integrated structure is driven by a foundational philosophy of Integrated Human Development, which seeks to holistically serve the entire person—spiritually, socially, and economically—across the entire territory of the Vicariate.
Our Legal Identity and Affiliation
While widely known as the Meki Catholic Secretariat (MCS), the organization is officially registered as the Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Commission Branch Office of Meki (ECC-SDCBOM). This legal name was granted under the Civil Society Organizations Proclamation (registry number 0756 on August 16, 2019). MCS operates under the umbrella of the Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Commission.
Our Geographic Scope and Context
The MCS operates from its main office in Meki Town, serving the vast and diverse territory of the Apostolic Vicariate of Meki. The Vicariate is located between 4°10’N – 9°00’N latitude and 38°20’E – 44°35’E longitude in the Oromia National Regional State, with its central office situated 130 km southeast of Addis Ababa.
Our work spans an area of approximately 34,997 square kilometers, covering six administrative zones and one special woreda:
- From the Oromia Regional State: East Shoa, Arsi, and West Arsi.
- From the Central Ethiopia Regional State: East Gurage Zone, Silte Zone, Halaba Zone, and Mareko Special Woreda.
This region is home to an estimated population of over 4 million people, with dense settlements in the mid and highlands of Arsi and West Arsi zones of Oromia regional state and Central Ethiopia regions and more sparse populations in the lowlands, East Shoa Zone. The local economy is predominantly agricultural, sustained by pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, and crop-based farming.
Through this structure and within this context, the MCS strives to fulfill the Church’s mission of evangelization and integral human development, bringing faith and hope to the communities we are called to serve.