Who is Dr. Alexis Kasereka Valyamugheni, AA?
An Augustinian of Assumptionist (Assumptionist for short) from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dr. Alexis is an alumnus of the Hekima Jesuit School of Theology from 2012 to 2015. After finishing his bachelors degree in theology at Hekima, he went on to a two-year pastoral experience in St. Monica Njiru-Parish, Archdiocese of Nairobi. At the end of the two years, he proceeded to Rome, Italy, for a Licentiate and PhD Programs in Fundamental Theology, which he completed in December 2023 at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He is now back at Hekima as a Faculty Member!
Looking Back over His Shoulders: Embracing Unity in Diversity
Dr. Alexis joined Hekima University College to pursue his bachelors degree in Theology. He describes himself as a man of faith seeking a deeper understanding of what he believes in as a Christian and, more so, as a student preparing for the priesthood.
“We were so many students from different countries. We came together, and the experience was good, although the population of our class was not big compared to what we have now. I embraced well unity in diversity of the Hekima family”, he explained.
“Of course, I had some challenges; having come from a French background, the experience of being taught in English was quite tricky. However, the advantage of Hekima then and even today is that many lecturers are multi-lingual and can speak several languages, including French. Therefore, I was able to cope well. At the end of my studies at Hekima, I realized I had learned much from interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.” From this experience, I understood quite well the
theological necessity to shift from the paradigm of inculturation to the one of inter- culturation.
Experience as a lecturer: Until Christ be formed in the student!
The difference between a student and a lecturer is that a student sits in a class and listens to the lecturer. Occasionally, he or she would ask questions or contribute to the discussion that might be going on in the class. On the other hand, a lecturer is compelled to take the lead and talk more to ensure that his/her students grasp the concepts of the subject.
Dr. Alexis is now teaching at Hekima and is still learning as he tries to gain footing in his teaching career. Talking about his experience as a new lecturer, he narrates a story of a bishop heading for retirement and responding to questions from journalists. One of the
questions was: “You have served the Church; now that you are going for retirement, what is your plan? What are your dreams?” The Bishop gave an interesting response: “During my ministry as a Bishop, I had much time talking about God; now that I am
going for my retirement, I will have a lot of time talking to God!”
Dr. Alexis said that as a student, he had much time for study and research; now, as a lecturer, he has the opportunity to share the knowledge he has acquired generously. Dr. Alexis believes that today, Theology is not only about the intelligence of faith; it is
more than that; it calls upon and involves the intelligence of charity and hope. So, as a lecturer, the aim is not only to seek – together with the student – the intelligence of Faith but also to find ways for it to embrace the social dimensions of our daily life experience
in Africa. “Suppose African Christianity has to be a lifestyle that follows the teachings of Jesus. In that case, African theologians are called to become men and women of Hope who cannot dissociate the intelligence of Faith from the practice of Charity in solidarity
with our society and with the challenges people undergo daily in their various contexts.” “And here is where I always appreciate the quotation from the Founder of my Congregation, Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon, for whom the goal in every academic formation is:
“until Christ be formed in us.” Without that, it is a failure.”
Standing on the Shoulders of elders: How Fr. Emmanuel Foro, SJ Impacted the academic experience of Dr. Alexis
Dr. Alexis Kasereka admits that his academic experience at Hekima University College impacted more on what he has become today. Of course, there are many students and professors he is grateful for inspiring him. Among them, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Foro, SJ,
the current Rector of the Hekima Jesuit Community, stands out the most. “He taught me Fundamental Theology, which I chose for my specialization. I think the way he taught the course attracted me and made me interested in pursuing and going further in my specialization. Fr. Foro’s humility, friendliness, welcoming nature, and the fact that he speaks French and English were instrumental to my studies.” Coming from a French-speaking background and having barely been able to speak English when he joined Hekima, Dr. Alexis Kasereka testifies that Dr. Foro helped him a lot.
“I am delighted to have met with him again as a colleague at Hekima faculty, and I don’t pretend that I have learned everything; there is still more that I believe I will continue to learn from Fr. Foro. This being my first experience as a lecturer, I know that I will always
go to his office and ask for advice occasionally.” During this semester, Dr. Alexis has both philosophical and theological courses; he is
currently teaching logic and epistemology and a seminar on the introduction of African Theology of reconstruction. Next semester, he will have three courses: African Christian Theology, an elective on integral ecology, and Anthropological philosophy.
By Pamela Adinda, HUC Communications Coordinator