CATHOLICISM AMONG THE CHEHA GURAGE

The purpose of this study is explore about Catholicism among the Cheha Gurage which making the religious history more meaning full to the Catholicism in the study areas. The reason for helping to established fertile ground for religious tolerance. The understanding of the Catholic Church prior to the second Vatican council focused was infallibility of the pope and the identity of the Church as a prefect society of the world. It had perceived that outside the Catholic Church, there was no salvation. This ideology has been turning point to be emphasized by the Catholic missionary such as Jesuits who involved in the 16th and 17th c Ethiopia. Subsequently, the missionaries of the Catholic Church have been hindered form positive communication and to penetrate the high land of Ethiopia and Orthodox Church in early 17th and late 18th century. Even though, the political instability of the country during Zemen Mesafint (1869-1855) became a core point for the revival of missionary activities in Ethiopia. Christianity is a missionary religion which grew out Judaism and spread to the greater part of the Roman Empire, Especially, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. This resulted, the Christian division of the Church into western Roman Catholic and Easter Greek Orthodox Church in 1054. In the 19th century Catholicism has been gained a certain event and it’s continued to spread in different part of Ethiopia. Mainly Catholic missionary had gained a fertile ground in mainly southern Ethiopia such as Gurage, Kembata, Wollayta, Sidama and other. This paper attempts draw the attention to some of Catholicism among Cheha Gurage, it also attempts to investigate by Catholic missionary and other activities performed by the church in the area.