Prof. Mutua; slow down on Catholic Doctrines

This is an apologetic response to the article on the ‘Opinion’ section of the Sunday Nation dated December 15th, 2019 by Makau W. Mutua, a SUNY Distinguished Professor at SUNY Buffalo Law School and the Chairperson of Kenya Human Rights Commission. 

I deeply and sincerely appreciate that the writer of this article, “For Chrissake,(sic) let Catholics ordain women, priests marry’, is very well informed in matters faith, law and morals.

To begin, a synoptic reading of the article, one understands that it’s problematic is on the fact that the shortage of clergy is largely, if not solely, due to both the celibacy policy on the Roman Catholic clergy and non inclusion of women in the ordained ministry of the Church. Furthermore, the article tends to write off the two reasons (clerical celibacy and male-only-minister) as non biblical and old practices whose expiry date is long gone. Hence, as a consequence, to salvage the life of the ‘dying’ Catholic Church, the Pope has to ascend to the propositions of the just concluded Pan-Amazon Synod. 

Firstly, just because her clergy is not allowed to marry, the Roman Catholic Church is neither dying nor being confined in the “ICU” (Intensive Care Unit). She is alive, growing and kicking! Let us be realistic. The Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae 2017 released by the Central Office of the Roman Catholic Church Statistics in the Vatican on the 6th March 2019, clearly states that there is a notable increase in the Catholic Christians around the globe. Of 7,408 million people, 1,313 million, or 17.7% are baptized Catholics. Worthy of noting is that there was an overall increase of 1.1% from 2015 (1,285 million) to 2016 (1,299 million). And the upward trend continues. Now, in fact, the small worry is in the “conspicuous change” in the number of priests from 2016 (414,969) to 2017 (414,582). Yet there has been an increase rate of 0.7% since 2010 (412,236). 

Secondly, back to the author’s arguments against clerical celibacy. 

Initially, saying that the choice of celibacy as a condition sine qua non to join the clergyhood has no scriptural foundation is a white lie. We find contradiction in the article, when the author, Prof. Makau, mentions the Apostle Paul’s recommendation on celibate life in the First Letter to the Corinthians. It’s quite noticeable how he avoids giving the readers the exact biblical quotations from the mentioned Pauline letter. Yet, when it comes to the biblical texts that talk of the other Apostles of Jesus in marriage, like St Peter, the Professor promptly quotes the gospel verses, not one but two of them. 

Yet the bible has models of those men who lived celibate life for the sake of their job of evangelization. We shall just pick only two: the Apostle Paul, in the New Covenant, in his free will chose celibacy (hence, clerical celibacy is freely chosen by the candidates to become clergy). And the Prophet Jeremiah, in the Old Covenant, didn’t choose celibacy by his own free will, yet God imposed it on him (hence, as part of the Tradition of the Church, divinely inspired, clerical celibacy is imposed on the candidates to become clergy). Why?

On one hand, due to his personal choice of unmarried status, St Paul was capable of doing three long missionary journeys. This is because he was free from worldly cares, cf., 1 Cor 7, 28, and free from divided interests, cf., 1 Cor 7, 32-35. While on the other hand, the Prophet Jeremiah, due to a command from YHWH to stay unmarried, cf., Jer 16, 2, so as for YHWH to communicate through his life status as unmarried man the misery which is to befall the Jews. 

In these two biblical figures, we attest two things that clerical celibacy has as a consequence in the Church. Primo, it is for high performances in ecclesiastical duties, for the clergy will be free and an untied with the nuptial knots to carry out faithfully, diligently and at all times his pastoral work. Secundo, it’s meant to reveal a prophetic value for the Church, for, first the unmarried clergy reflects the future glory of heaven, which God wants to communicate to us, where there is no need for marriage, cf., Mt 22, 30. And, second the unmarried clergy reflects the perfection, which God communicates to us, just like Jesus is perfect. The unmarried priest acts in persona Christi, person of Christ, hence live like Jesus, the unmarried. 

Then, claiming that there are unfaithful clergy who do not respect their clerical celibate status and the duration it has taken since its insertion in the Canon Law of the Church, should be fundamental in scrapping off of the celibacy policy on the clergy is indeed wanting. 

Old is gold, as we all know it. Indeed as a tradition established officially in the Roman Catholic Church by the reformist Pope Gregory VII (1015-1085), celibacy policy has not only helped the Church control her spiritual and material wealth but also made her the strongest institution in the world up to date.  

It’s true that time perfects the human faculty of reason and faith. It is equally true that some doctrines and disciplines of the Church, like issues of Limbo (a place between heaven and hell for souls not condemned to eternal punishment,  but yet deprived of the eternal happiness with God) and the earth being flat and not round were perfected with time. But, addressing celibacy policy as a “millennia-old practice that has usually, but not always, been adhered to” is pejorative. Prof. Mutua wants us to believe that certain traditions and doctrines wear out with time because at their conception the faculties of reason and faith were still under developed. Hence with time, as the people to adhere to them mature in reason and faith, drop them. Not in the Catholic Church. Doctrines don’t wear out! Actually they find more spiritual and anthropological meaning as time goes by. A point in question is the use of candle light in the Scared Liturgy!

Lastly, during the voting sessions in the ongoing Synods, the Pope is never present. This is because his solemn verdict on the discussed and voted issues comes as an Apostolic Exhortation (a post-synodal document addressed to the whole Church, that will clarify and explain in greater detail the issues treated by the synod participants). Actually the pontiff appears in two sessions: the opening and the closing sessions. So the Prof saying that “the synod of Amazon bishops voted- in a meeting with Pope Francis in Vatican City- to allow married men to become priests”, is already pointing that the Roman pontiff ascended to this final document, which is not the case.

Our next apologetic response to the same Prof.  Mutua's article will feature on his plea to let the Roman Catholic Church ordain women. 

Yes. Opinions are personal and call for respect. But they can be corrected if not well informed. 

Padre Gordon Okoth, imc; Smiling with Angels.

To pen down this piece that honours your departure to heavenly glory omin, wuod Asembo, Goddy, (my brother from Asembo, Gordon), is my perfect way to begin the healing process to the fact that the ground of our beloved ancestors have swallowed your ever smiling face. 

Indeed what we are left with are few photos, here and there, and many unprinted memories of your smile, laughter and zeal for life in our minds. Nothing more to tell God and you, but only to exclaim; Dieu, Merci!

Fr Gordon, we thank God for everything!

We thank God that in His infinite merciful love, He brought you here on earth, on the 07th day in the tenth month, forty six years ago, at Ujwang`a village, in the then Nyanza Province, now Siaya County, Lwak Parish. Born of the Late Fredrick Okoth Ondito and mama Lewnora Asewe, you acquired the earthly flesh and got raised up among seven other persons. And, Goddy, through this biological and cultural family, we thank God, you came to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in the Catholic faith till your demise!

We thank the Lord who showed you the way to the Kisumu Town Fish Youth Group. This is a Catholic youth group based in the Kisumu Archdiocese. Three years after its foundation in 1985 by Rev. Fr. Antony Chandry, MHM, a Mill Hill Priest and Rev. Sr. Mary Ellen Howard, SND, you became its member. And, Goddy, we thank God, you were a faithful member of Fish (as it is shortly known) till your demise! 

We thank God that he called you to the Holy Orders. This high vocation started on your ordination day, the 27th November 2002 in St. Peter Clavers Catholic Church, Lwak Parish, with the imposition of hands and anointing from His Grace the Most Rev. Zaccheus Okoth, the Archbishop of Kisumu (by then, now Emeritus). And, Goddy, we thank God that you lived faithfully and piously this sacramental grace of your priestly ministry here on earth till your demise! 

We thank the Lord that we shared a spiritual, missionary family, Instituto Missioni Consolata, IMC. As you depart from this earthly life, you had attained 23 years old in our religious family. To me and many others like Rev. Fr. David Oginga, IMC, your Parish mate, Rev. Fr. Sylvester Ogutu, IMC and Rev. Fr. Joseph Oiye, IMC, both of whom you fished from Raliew Secondary School, you were our elder brother in this religious family. I fondly remember special moments we shared together. You took with a lot of dedication the noble but heavy responsibility of showing us the way to live as a happy smiling IMC despite the challenges we meet in the missions. And, Goddy, we thank God, you were indeed a ‘big’ brother and a model of a jovial missionary full of zeal for missions till your demise!

Some of these special moments we lived them in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in Kinshasa Archdiocese (La paroisse St. Hilaire) and later you left for Isiro-Niangara Diocese (La paroisse de Neisu, Nolwa, Somana et Maison d’acceuil et de service- Isiro). Yes. Goddy, you were at one time our Vice Regional Superior in the Congo Region. And for that service we thank the Lord.

We equally lived those wonderful moments in our motherland Kenya, particularly in Kakamega Diocese (the new Bukaya Parish). Here, you spearheaded both the constructions of the new church building and the parish clergy residential house. And, Goddy, in all these missions, we thank God that you touched the life of all persons without any discrimination whatsoever of level of education, social rank, age, sex, race, cult, or tribe till your demise!

And Goddy, you left us for the heavenly glory on the 26 November 2019 at 2.20PM at the MP Shah Hospital, Nairobi. A news that was shocking. Should we, therefore, thank the Lord? Smilingly, you would tell us “Yes!” May the will of the Lord be done! Ours is to thank Him.  

Now that your body is laid to rest in the Consolata graveyard Mathari, Nyeri on the 4th day of December 2019 after the battle you had with illness, who are we not to thank God for your earthly life, full of jovial moments. 

On this date, twenty-seven days to end the year 2019, the Italian War Memorial Church which houses the remains of 676 mostly Italian soldiers (few of other nationalities) incarcerated and exterminated by the British during the second World War was fully packed by those whom you touched their lives. 

The Requiem Mass that marked your final journey here on earth before laying your body six feet under was celebrated by His Grace the Most Rev. Peter Joseph Kairo, the Archbishop Emeritus of Nyeri Archdiocese. Several of your brother priests and religious were in prayer and solemn mood with His Grace as we celebrate the five-hour mystery you totally gave your life for here on earth. Your dear mum, siblings, relatives, friends and parishioners of both St Peter Clavers Catholic, Lwak Parish and Our Holy Mother Mary Comforter of the afflicted, Bukaya Parish also graced the occasion. 

Confessing that he neither thought nor dreamt jamais of preaching on your burial day, Rev. Fr. Jude Katende, IMC, your longtime friend and confrere with whom you journeyed during the years and same milieu of basic formation right from Kisumu, Nairobi, Sagana to Colombia, attested in his homily that you indeed manifested in your simple life, one who Christ called in His vineyard with conviction and dedication. Your life is a gospel, for God spoke to us many things through you, especially perseverance, love for the mission, joy and love of prayer even in the illness. 

As the Mass was about to end, some selected persons shared their tributes to the congregation. These were: Rev. Fr Peter Njoroge, IMC, who read ad verbatim your eulogy; Rev. Fr. Michael Njue, IMC, your formator in the seminary; Rev. Fr. Kevin, your home parish priest; a Priest Representative of the Bishop of Kakamega; a Lay Representative of Bukaya Parish, a Representative of your biological and cultural family; Rev Fr. Zack Kariuki, IMC, your companion in the Seminary days; Rev Fr. Peter Munguti Makau, IMC, the Regional Superior (Kenya-Uganda Region); and His Grace the Most Rev. Peter J. Kairo. And Goddy, we thank God all of them talked well of your earthly life. They also consoled your biological, cultural and religious family. 

For the Late Rev. Fr. Gordon Okoth’s dear life and missionary work, we acclaim ‘to God be praise and thanks forever more’!


(This article was published in the Consolata Missionaries website.  The link :
https://www.consolata.org/new/index.php/mission/nostridicono/item/2978-fr-gordon-okoth-imc-smiling-with-angels )

Fr. Stallone Michele, imc, Founding padre of Loiyangalani mission

A lodge or a restaurant with a big wooden Cross almost in the middle! For sure this is an unusual place for Crosses, for the latter is normally planted in sacred places such as the Churches, graveyards, etc, for the sake of connecting us with the salvation mystery Jesus accomplished for humanity.

But the story is different in Loiyangalani town, two kilometres East of Lake Turkana, Marsabit County. Here, stands a fifty-four year old wooden Cross planted in the Oasis Lodge and Restaurant. It is of great importance. This old wooden Cross is both symbolically the foundation rock and pillar on which the Loiyangalani Catholic mission is founded and rests upon. Why?

Because it marks the exact place of the execution of Rev. Fr. Stallone Michele, imc.

The late Rev. Fr. Stallone Michele, a Consolata Missionary priest, hailed from Giovinazzo in the large province of Bari, in the Apulia region of Italy. He was born on the 01st September 1921 and ordained a Catholic Priest on the 31st May 1947, four years after having made his first vows. He was thereafter sent to Kenya for his mission.

It was during his missionary work in the Northern Kenya that Fr. Stallone came to Loiyangalani in 1965. The local tales have it that he was the first missionary priest to set foot in this small market town at the onset of the Chalbi desert, next to the then Lake Rudolf. By then he was working in the Baragoi Catholic Mission which was founded in 1952.

“His prime mission in Loiyangalani was to take Christianity to the El-Molo” acerts Mr Edward Lemotou, a native and stauch Christian of Loiyangalani Mission. He was determined to save the souls of this minority group.  Therefore, “he made several visits to them, bringing them not only the Good News but also goodies like changa (beads), tumbako (tabbac) and clothes”. His close and personal relationship with them earned him a nickname “Mete” (the ‘Head’) from the El-Molo, for he was short and big-headed in stature.

Now. On the Friday 19th November 1965, having come from his holidays back home in Giovinazzo village, Fr. Stallone Michele, imc, enthusiastically arrived in Loiyangalani with an additional mission to that of his love and visit to the El-Molo.

This time round, he was sent by the Bishop of Marsabit, His Lordship Carlos Maria Cavallera, imc., just a year after the erection of the Marsabit Diocese from the larger Diocese of Nyeri. His work was to begin a Catholic Mission in Loiyangalani town.

It is worth noting that, several months before the arrival of Fr. Stallone, precisely on 2nd March 1965, His Lordship the Bishop had made a trip to Loiyangalani town courtesy of an invitation by Madame Sorsbie, the owner of the Oasis Lodge Safari Club. It is on this occasion that the Bishop saw the need to open a Catholic Mission in Loiyangalani. He therefore, with the help of Lady Sorsbie who contributed ten thousand Kenyan shillings and an old lorry as indicated in the Bishop's diary, gathered the necessary resources for this noble cause and sent Fr. Stallone Michele to execute the erection of a new Catholic Mission in the Northern Kenya.

This fateful day, the 19th November fifty-four years ago, begun on a high note but ended in sorrow, a low note. 

No sooner had Fr. Stallone arrived by midday, than he went to inspect the proposed sites for the Church, the primary school and the dispensary buildings. He had also ordered the building materials that were to be ferried a day later. In him, indeed was the burning desire to see the Loiyangalani Mission begin and grow!

Rather, the sorrowful part of the day came very fast with the sunset that evening.

There was an attack by the Shiftas , bandits of Somali origin, in the Oasis Lodge Safari Club. The shiftas wanted to kill Mr Poole, a native of Sychelles and the manager of the Oasis Lodge Safari Club. They came for his blood because, Mr Poole was known of killing the livestock of the locals around Loiyangalani. Hence it was a retaliation operation. Unfortunately, at around 9:00 pm, the Shiftas killed both Mr Poole and Fr. Stallone after vandalising and stealing some property of the Lodge. 

Unlucky for Fr. Stallone! He was an innocent victim, for he had a temporary residence in the Oasis Lodge Safari Club so as to start the construction of the Church.

The whole new Diocese mourned! But more so, the Loiyangalani Christians who had hoped to witness this man of God, Mete, bring them Christ closer.

Bishop Cavallera said, “The death of Fr. Stallone is a serious loss for the Diocese of Marsabit and has shocked everybody. Our dear missionary had just returned from Italy; where he had gone to give his farewell to his old parents and had returned with much enthusiasm and full of favour and initiative. The Lord wanted from him the supreme sacrifice of his life while he was on duty for obedience and generosity. This blood will certainly be the most precious and solid cement for the foundation of the new Mission.” Reads an excerpt of Missioni Consolata, January 1966.

The police inspector of Maralal in the company of four other police officers from Baragoi rushed to the scene of crime. They found the body of the slain priest, tied on a chair and lodged with two bullets on his back. But his breviary was the only thing next to him; a physical sign that he must have been saying his vespers on that fateful evening before the ordeal.

He was later buried in Nyeri, Mathari, some hundreds of kilometres far away from the inhabitants he gave his life for.

Indeed his blood drunk by the Loiyangalani soil not only irrigated the inhabitants' faith leading to the ongoing construction of a twenty-thousand capacity Church building, but also made the Kenya Police put up a commanding base in Loiyangalani, hence fostering peace and order to the people.

Today, Loiyangalani boasts of this pious and industrious Consolata missionary who loved them unsparingly. They boast of having a founder of their Church in heaven interceding for them. They boast that their land is a land of martyrdom! This is why in this small town, every 19th November there is a solemn Liturgy of the Eucharist in memory of their hero and father of faith. This Liturgy normally culminates with a solemn procession till the Oasis Lodge where the Late Rev. Fr. Stallone faced his martyrdom.

On the occasion of the 54th anniversary of his death, Rev. Fr. Martin Oluoch Omondi, imc, the Parish Priest of Loiyangalani Catholic Church, in his homily based on the Gospel according to St Mathew 25: 31-46, stated that: “the strong love and faith that Fr. Stallone had that made him come to Loiyangalani, when there was practically nothing on the ground, poor roads, poor means of transport, poor means of communication, no wireless phones, nothing! He believed that there were men and women in Loiyangalani who were hungry and thirsty for the word of God (and Sacraments). He was convinced that they were people spiritually sick and in spiritual prison by the needs of this world; people who needed to be visited so that they too can be satisfied by the knowledge of Christ. His blood, poured in our soil here in Loiyangalani is for us a seed of faith”.

(This article was published in the Consolata Missionaries website.  The link is given below :

https://www.consolata.org/new/index.php/mission/nostridicono/item/2951-fr-stallone-michele-imc-founding-padre-of-loiyangalani-mission )

Sharpening our Souls

“First saints, then missionaries!” This is no doubt one of Blessed Joseph Allamano’s principal mantra. Holiness indeed is a fundamental requirement for a missionary to face the mission work. But sometimes it normally goes down like a low battery after having worked in mission for certain period of time. Hence the missionary’s need for a spiritual exercise, preferably in common as a religious family, cf., Constitution 68, General Directive 68.1.

In fact, there are three traditional annual events that normally bring us together as a Region. These are, the Regional Assembly, the Regional Conference and the Regional Retreat. Therefore, from the 11th November 2019 till the 15th November 2019 forty-three of us from Kenya-Uganda Region gathered in the Bethany House, Sagana for our Annual Regional Retreat.

The theme of the Retreat was: Sharpen your Soul.

The task of helping us sharpen the soul was given to Rev. Fr. Charles Bwalya Chilufya, SJ. He is a Jesuit priest of Zambian origin and currently the Director of The Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa (JENA).

To help us sharpen our souls, Fr. Charles, a part from various biblical texts used extensively the Interior Castles, a book written by St Therese of Avila in 1577. He outlined four major principles from this noble writing of an ordinary nun to provide hope and encouragement during hardship and sufferings which make our souls blunt. These are the Mindset; the Heartset; the Soulset and the Health/Bodyset.

Primo, talking about the Mindset, Fr. Charles, SJ, inspired by the dialogue between Nicodemus and Jesus, cf., Jn 3: 1-21, and the histories of the Late Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela(18/07/1918 - 05/12/2013), Bl. Joseph Allamano (21/01/1851 – 16/02/1926), St Francis of Assisi (1181 - 03/10/1226) and St Mother Teresa of Calcuta(27/08/1910 - 05/09/1997), journeyed with us through a thought changing process which is geared towards the production of new imaginations. This, he insisted, is achieved through the following three steps:

First, Self-awareness: a capacity to visualise a new beginning. To achieve this, we must treasure silence in our life. For it is in silence that new way of seeing and doing things are generated. (e.g., the prison period in the life of N. Mandela).

Second, Negative experiences of life: a capacity to grow from challenges or crisis in life. Pain brings an opportunity for growth.

Third, Narration of life: a capacity to read stories and events of life. Since events and stories have meaning and can be interpreted, they excite our imaginations, hence be born again.

Consequently, the mindset helps us to give purpose to our lives. It is here where we live in the capacity of choosing. It focuses on not living with the toxicity of the past negative experiences which condition ourselves; but rather it transforms us, cf., Rom 13 and help us forget about the former things, cf., Is 43: 18-19.

Secundo, speaking of the Heartset, our preacher of the day took us through the episode of the Samaritan Woman, cf., Jn 4: 1-45. To pick up our lives once again, Fr. Charles insisted on having an opportunity minded character rather than the problem minded one. To him, some of us never grab the opportunity God is giving them. We rather always see negativity in everything. It is through the conversation with Jesus that will sharpen ourselves, hence grab the God-given opportunities just as the Samaritan lady did.

To grab the opportunity, the heart must be ready to forgive. Yet forgiveness can never be institutionalised rather it is a gift that comes from on high. He gave an example of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission established in 1996 by the South African government to help the victims of the Apartheid. This institutionalisation of the process of reconciliation did not work.

Tertio, on matters Soulset, our preacher told us that this is influenced by the first two, that is, the Mindset and the Heartset. He was inspired by Saint Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth, 1 Cor 2: 12-16. Since we are spiritual beings in a human nature the things God give us are spiritual in nature. In this category, inspiration is very fundamental to growth. An inspired person is a joyful, happy fellow. He engages in life with a positive attitude and sees beauty in life. It is only the word of God that will give that inspiration, cf., Jn 15: 3.

Finally, quarto, on a very lighter tone intertwined by his personal life history, Fr. Charles took us through the fourth aspect; the Health/Bodyset. Here, one has to reclaim back his own life! Since the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, we should constantly thank God for the gift of the body by taking good care of it. We shall only take good care of ourselves if we discern the things we are to do going by the table below. 

Urgent and Important

NOT Urgent / VERY Important

Urgent / NOT Important

NOT Urgent / NOT Important

In conclusion, he gave us eight wisdom of the Gospel to help us in life. These are:

Leadership: be a leader with no title like Jesus; your work should be beauty and an art focused on human beings and not things.

Humility: be servant of all

Integrity: be truthful to thyself

Originality: stop competing with others

Professionalism: have plans in life

Daily Rituals: set specific time for specific activities each day

Beatitudes: make them yours, own these wonderful virtues

Recreation: have fun, and take life easy

His parting shot: “Claim back your life, by sharpening your soul”.

(This article was published in the Consolata Missionaries website. See the link below)

https://www.consolata.org/new/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2939:sharpening-our-souls

Want a peaceful North Rift Region? Tame our cultural practices

Relative peace is required for societal stability. We all, therefore, want and even dream of a country that all its citizens despite their voluminous differences, tribe, age, physical appearance, colour, creed, race, civilian or not, level of education, gender, etc., cohabit peacefully. This looks very utopic and unattainable, at least in this our time characterised mostly by various conflicts! But peace is possible. Yet, what have we done so far to come closer in achieving this dream?

The handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Hon. Raila Odinga on March 9th 2018, is a political attempt to make this nation prosper peacefully. I think, since then, we haven’t seen our youth go on streets ready for bloodshed in the name of demonstration. We haven’t seen our property vandalised by the demonstrators. Indeed, we haven’t seen casualties or deaths due to protests! We haven’t seen the police using excessive force on the populace, only in the case of the scoundrel police! But a political move to a peaceful nation isn’t enough, though good. It is just one step ahead to peaceful coexistence.

Yet much of our conflicts are also propelled by some of our cultural practices and beliefs.

Regrettably, that is why, peace, the absence of violence, is far from achievable in Kenya, specifically in the Northern Rift Region, precisely East of Lake Turkana and its environs. Why?

Because, in this region, like some parts of Kenya, some cultural practices and beliefs are catalysts of war and social fear. In fact, for the majority of the inhabitants in this region, political handshake, as a means to peaceful cohabitation, isn’t telling them anything to do with peace. They need a cultural approach to peace building and conflict resolution.

In this pastoralist region, being arid and semi-arid, cultural conflicts are easily generated not only by the presence of both pasture and water, but also by following strictly certain cultural beliefs. While the former, a problem from without, leads to severe life-threatening competition over these scarce but precious resources; the latter, a problem from within, makes the persons involved inhabit uncontrollable urge, mori, to cause chaos.

One would expect that the low human population in these areas should tame such conflicts. Simple geographical logic dictates that since they are few in number, they should peacefully cohabit. But no! Actually, here, the livestock- cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and camels- surpasses the inhabitants both in need and in numbers.  Pushing the owners to a mile further in safe guarding their livestock, even at the expense of other few human lives.

August-September 2019 is a memorable moment. Being in Arapal, a small village East of Mount Kulal and Gatab, a village on top of the same mountain which is basically inhabited by the Samburu people, I witnessed a ceremony of the institution of Moranhood  to 83 youth. This beautiful cultural event takes place only after 10 or 15 years! Hence, I count myself lucky to have witnessed it in my lifetime.

All went well in this ceremony of the rite of passage, until when the initiates, teenage boys facing the knife, came to the oath taking ritual. Which I saw as intrinsically the root cause of various cultural violence in the region. Not that am against the oath taking rites, for I too, live under some oath that I took some ten years ago.

This is what happens.

The initiate, at some point, takes a piece of meat, known as menong, hooks it on his knife and figuratively takes to his mother. He then vows in front of her to never consume any meal seen or cooked by any married woman, not even his mother, so long as he is a moran,  a warrior. And that marks also the sign of gratitude for all that the mother did in raising him.

By the virtue of this vow, the Samburu culture dictates two things. Primo, a moran, if dead, is not worth a burial. The moran’s corpse would be left at the peril of the wild animals especially the hyenas who will consume it. Secundo, a moran ceases to have a domicile. He is a persona non grata in his very home! Henceforth, his legal place is either the fora or wilderness looking after the livestock and ensuring overall safety of the community. Hence, he becomes a wanderer!

What is then, the social consequence of living such kind of a treacherous oath?

I know, this might be the cultural way of inculcating in the moran some basic cultural virtues of trust in independency and self-reliance, which will mature and be put in use in the adulthood. Sounds good!

Alas! The same moran, due to such a vow, may develop identity crisis that may affect his relationship with others in the larger society.

On one hand, the moran will eventually either be a threat to his mother and by extension to other women in the society. A threat to the mother, is a threat to the life of the society; consequently a threat to the peace in the society.

And on the other hand, a moran living with the knowledge that at his death, he won’t be accorded a decent cultural burial, risks considering himself as a lesser person. Henceforward start to threaten others so as to prove that indeed he is worthy in the society. We have witnessed to what extent such threats may go!

Therefore, this section of the oath taking in the institution ceremony of moranhood should be rechecked or revised if not evangelised. After all,  our cultures get modified and modernised with time. This oath actually makes the morans predisposed to quick elimination of others in the society, especially in the name of defending the precious resources- pasture, water and livestock- and culture.

There are indeed various benefits of cultural initiations to various age groups; which include among others perseverance, vigilance, courage, self-esteem, self-sacrifice, etc. It shouldn’t be a form of cultural indoctrination or a school to manufacture warriors. Let us tame such cultural practices and beliefs. Otherwise, we shall never have peace in the North Rift Region of Kenya and the whole nation.

Kenya: a malnourished nation

One of the traditional basic needs of human beings is food. It is very helpful for the proper functioning of the body. That is, it provides energy and minerals to help reform the body after its tear and wear. Hence people go a milestone to have it daily on their tables. Otherwise without it, they do not get proper development and good health. It is this reason that food security is among the four key pillars of the Jubilee government. 

But then, how far, has Kenyans as a nation tamed the issue of food in the country? Do we abuse food, as we do at times with drugs and alcohol? 

The big story of Baby Ethai’s health in the Turkana County published in the Healthy Nation dated Tuesday October 15, 2019 tells it all. 

He is fed, day in day out, with only porridge! A 100% carbohydrate-dominated diet. With no other components like protein and vitamins, he suffers acute malnutrition. His story is just but a tip of the iceberg of different cases of malnutrition in the country. Unfortunately, as a nation we are losing the battle on food security. 

It is good to note that, food security equally entails healthy feeding, for hunger and obesity coexist. Hence, for a nation to secure itself on matters food, there are a number of factors to consider. Here, I pick only two which I esteem important. 

Primo, the type of food we eat.

This year’s international World Food Day focuses on the quality of food in our diet. We not only eat food, but we check on what type of food we eat. It is a noble call “to make healthy and sustainable diets affordable and accessible to everyone”. Am on the adjective “healthy”. This means that we should consume variety of food stuff that gives our bodies the necessary nutrients for proper growth.

Unfortunately majority of Kenyans eat unhealthily. Our appetites have made us experts of quick junk food and drinks. This is empirically evident in every busy street of towns and cities whose six out of ten stores are food dens, with fried meal’s odour filling the street lanes. The order is done quickly; chips and kuku funga! And repeated daily! No wonder we are at high risk of obesity, cancer and heart complications leading to death. 

Unlike the parents of the Baby Ethai, we are advised to balance our diet. Yes, fries but also vitamins and minerals too.

Secundo, food storage and preservation.

I hope we no longer have unfit-for-human consumption preservatives added to the food stuffs in the food market. As someone once said, we Kenyans are a forgetful lot. It’s my humble hope that we have not forgotten about the “Red Alert”, in which discovery was made on how we consume higher concentration of sodium metabulsifite meant to make the meat appear red and juicy! 

Our food is not clean! This at times is due to poor storage, which then leads to food poisoning. Those of us who like take away meals and sometime carry food to work, do we ever check the conditions under which we store the food? Do we warm them to reduce the presence of bacteria in them before consumption? Are our grains in the stores safe for consumption? Is the Kenya Bureau of Standards checking the food stuff that stay longer in our supermarkets? 

Let us recheck our food before we eat, for we eat to live and not live to eat.

The joy of AD 2008

The year 2008 had gone and the rest is history. A living history, for the events that welcomed it are still fresh in the minds of many especially for us, Kenyans, whose tears both ushered and concluded the year; tears of sorry and tears of joy.

People, ‘an unexamined life is not worth living’. Hence responding to this Socratic call, it is a time for evaluation of that time spent on earth and formulation of resolutions for the New Year.

Recollection of that year is met by different feelings. All of us are counting both the losses and the gains. To some, it was a moment of joy, while others a tragedy that registered sorrow in their earthly journey. Sorrows that even Obama’s win as the first black in the American’s presidential circle, will never erase.

I too had the taste of the year. Some of the events increased my adrenaline level, filled me with awe, left me tongue-tied and with water-welling eyes. While others saw me vibrating in ecstasy and having hopeful visions!

I remember that at some point, our seminary at Langata had to open a week late, not because of the mismanagement rather due to societal misunderstanding that rocked the country by then.

Nonetheless, it was a wonderful year set apart by the Lord, and that does not eliminate the possibility of yet another memorable year, my hope. Let’s leave that at the mercy of God, the giver of years.

As a young boy in my home town, I grew up with the church circles having special cozy image of a church shepherd, a bishop. The one who confirmed me into the Catholic faith imprinted in me this illusory figure of a bishop, heavy and confidently rooted in the soil, well-fed man, cathedral-sized belly, bald headed so that the bishop’s cap may fit his head, no beards at all, wears thick-lenssed glasses, and always in a roman-collar shirt with a big metallic crucifix hanging on his neck!

In his homily, my ‘bishop’ has to stammer a bit and prolong the pronunciations and intonations not the usual way and changes the positions of stresses in the vowel sounds. He has to wear gloves during the sacramental celebration, a phenomenon that earned him his trade mark and worn my humble admiration by then.

All these were signs that he is full of graces, hence his honorable ecclesiastical title ‘His Grace, the Archbishop’, as I fathomed by then.

It was until the day I left my home town region that this image landed a blow! A scandal to my ‘bishop’s image!

For me by then, all bishops were to be shaped, to behave, to talk and to dress in that manner. Little had I known that I would come across a slander, not bald, full-blown bearded bishop, with no spectacles and one who even enjoys riding motorbike and celebrate masses in outstations alone with no concelebrant! One who even puts on open shoes that let his toes peep out!

The distortion process wasn’t pleasing at all. It was though very helpful in opening up and being objective to other realities in the church and the society at large.

The year 2008 was a landmark period, for I not only met and shook hands, at different occasions, with five bishops but also built an objective ‘bishop’!

Sounds a big joke, no? 

But you will agree with me that without an appointment with the owner of bishopric, it will be a miracle to meet and greet one due to their nature of apostolate. And kissing five bishop’s rings in less than just a year sparks the mighty flame of joyful graces. In fact other lucky colleagues and I almost met a Pope!

It was this day that we had an impromptu visit by four bishops. They had come for a meeting at Bethany House and were keeping abreast with this section of the Allamano Complex (about Allamano Complex is a topic of another day). 

One of them had two-fold office, as an Archbishop and an Apostolic Nuntio to Kenya. He stands for the Pope in Kenya. He brought the Papacy in our Novitiate at that time. Others included bishop Kihara, Pante and one whom I forgot his name just few minutes after introduction due to sparks of joy that radiated from my silently jubilating inner boy. But very well recalls his office, he is in charge of the Catholic Action in Rome.

Then came the silver jubilee of the sisters of Mary Immaculate at Kagio. Here, I shared a dressing room which also acted as a sacristy with His Eminence John Cardinal Njue. I didn’t go to pry about. I had ecclesial duty to execute, to serve at the altar as an altar boy. The first mass I ever served celebrated by His Eminence, the Cardinal, one who is in charge of the Church in Kenya.

All these translated to joyful graces God had in store for me, an inspiration in life.

As we make new objectives for the year 2009, we should be watchful to interpret the signs of the time. Grief will come and thrill the other side of the coin but stand firm this year. Therefore, set time also to look back from where you have come, for it will not only give you little impetus to the rest of your earthly life, but also help you be objective in the way you see reality. Have a blessed and peaceful year, will you?

Bus trip upcountry? Try Loiyangalani route

Nothing is fantastic and interesting like a bus ride upcountry. Yes indeed. And it is even much fascinating in this northern part of Kenya.

I feel a rational obligation to first geographically describe to you the northern Kenya; that is if you do not know it.

Well, northern Kenya is vast. Actually, apart from my theoretical geography classes done thousands of kilometers away from here, I haven’t physically been to every part of it. But, I have been to most parts of Marsabit County. In fact, I reside in Loiyangalani town.

This my town, which is a kilometer from the shores of Lake Turkana, one of the world’s rarest desert and alkaline lakes, is the Head quarter of Loiyangalani Sub-County in Marsabit County. It is approximately 264 Km from Marsabit town and almost 700 Km from Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. From Nairobi city, the tarmac road ends at Laisamis trading center. Then, from Laisamis to Loiyangalani, a 240 Km stretch, is murrum road, full of rocks with some places full of sand and mountainous regions.

There are intermittent rivers that get full when it occasionally rains on the adjacent mountains. Here, these rivers are called Laga. When these Lagas decide to get some life, they sweep anything on their way including a third of the earth’s surface. And once they are back to their dead state, they leave behind huge landscape of sand and logs of trees.

Most parts in the northern Kenya are semi-desert while a smaller part is in the hot Chalbi desert. Being a desert zone, there is a dry season throughout the year, with an exception of Mount Kulal and some hilly zones that occasionally experience some drops of rain. It is a windy zone with climatic temperature that ranges from 30˚C to 45˚C. Water is very scarce in this region. Hence there are several scattered thorny trees serving as the only vegetation in the area. There is also the presence of wild animals like ostriches, giraffes, antelopes, snakes, monkeys, desert hawks, cheaters, mongoose, squirrels, etc.

Now you have an idea of the area. Back to our “bus-sing” story.

The Marsabit- Loiyangalani route is served only by one Bus Company, the Loiyangalani Coach. Like any other bus company, the reservation of the ticket is done prior to the journey. If not, you are likely to miss a seat. And you know what? Your money will be taken but will stand throughout the journey.

Again, like any other upcountry bus trip, the passengers share endless stories. It is nice to see how people in the bus are unified despite their different ethnic or social backgrounds. Story telling unites us all! But there are those who want to dominate the story-telling sessions.

Yet there are certain things that make this Loiyangalani Coach bus trip very exceptional compared to the ones from the capital city to western Kenya regions.

First, is the luggage inside the bus. Here, the isle of the bus has other special luggage on it. These are mainly bags of sugar and rice. Passengers step on them in and out of the bus without any problem. The only problem is; if you are new to this system, you will find it strange! And that makes you the problem. I am sufficiently informed that they are loaded a day prior to the voyage.

Second, are the passengers themselves. There are two ‘stuffs’ you will never miss in the hands of majority of us in the bus. These are leaves and sticks. You are wondering where do leaves and sticks come from in this desert zone. On one hand, most men will carry miraa leaves and chew them right from the beginning of the journey until the arrival at our destination, an eleven-hour voyage! Think of their jaws. On the other hand, majority of both men and women will be holding the sokotei sticks for brushing the teeth along the journey. Miraa and sokotei are special herbs. The former deals with the mental state while the later, dental state of a person.

Third, is the generosity of the passengers. Since from Marsabit towards Loiyangalani, one approaches the Chalbi desert, atmospheric temperature shoots up as the bus moves on. Those with heavy clothing start dropping them one by one. But amusingly, people start sharing bottles of water without fear of being drugged through the precious drink! In the area where I am born and bred, this cannot happen! Jamais! One is always very cautious of the neighbor-passenger.

Fourth, is the road itself. Only thirty minutes of the eleven-hour trip is done on a tarmacked road. The rest is granular, dry and not tamacked! Forget about the dust and the small flying stones as the bus travels this road. The most interesting part is that these roads are full of corrugation. The day you will be in a bus cruising beyond 50km/h on corrugation, please, try close your eyes and sit straight. I tell you, it’s a very nice experience. It is like that deep tissue massaging machine put on the back and vibrates on the muscles! Everything vibrates, and the whole body feels good and liberated!

Your next upcountry trip, please try the Loiyangalani route in a bus. It is the most exciting voyage if not in Kenya, then in the world! Long live Loiyangalani Coach. 

Loiyangalani, Consoled and Consoling!

To the Consolata Missionaries, the sixth month of the year is a very important month among the twelve. It is equally important for Mary Star of the Sea, Loiyangalani Catholic Mission. The importance of the month of June is in its twentieth day. This is the day we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady Consolata, and the parish feast.

This day’s spiritual preparations normally begin nine days before. In the year 2019, in Loiyangalani Parish, the Consolata Feast celebrations will never be forgotten by the parishioners. Why?

First. The parish had a Triduum, a three-day spiritual preparation, prior to the feast day which, due to pastoral reasons was celebrated on 22nd June 2019. During these three days, each day presided over by Sr. Lucy, mc., Deacon Abel, imc., and Deacon Boniface, imc., the Christians learnt about Mary’s role in our history of salvation.

On the last day of the Triduum, Deacon Boniface, imc., made known to the parishioners not only the history of the icon of Our Lady Consolata on how it had ups and downs in its life yet remained intact up to our times, but also the spiritual meaning of each and every part of the icon.

Second. The 22nd day of the month of June was the day we, in Loiyangalani, had the celebrations of the Feast of Our Lady Consolata. 22nd was on a Saturday, the day that the Church, according to her traditions, unless falls a solemnity, honours Mary Mother of God and our mother. 22nd was two days from the twentieth, hence still fell within the octave of the Feast of Our Lady Consolata. 22nd was also a day that came before the Corpus Christi Sunday which we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, a true consoler that Our Lady Consolata brought us.

The flamboyant day began with the Eucharistic celebrations presided over by His Lordship Reverend Peter Kihara, the Bishop of Marsabit Diocese. By the way, Marsabit Diocese is under the protection and patronage of Our Lady Consolata. Hence having the shepherd of the Diocese, meant the whole diocese was in celebration with us.

In his homily, he explained the meaning of Consolata, which translates into Swahili word “Mfariji”. He then gave a brief history of the Icon of Our Lady Consolata. And thereafter he hailed the first Consolata Missionaries who brought us God’s consolation. Having received this consolation from God via Consolata, and himself being a living witness of the same through the Consolata Missionaries who evangelized the central Kenya region, the Bishop insisted that it is now our prime duty to share the same consolation to others. “If we do not preach Christ by our words and deeds, surely we shall have failed Our Lady Consolata, who gave us Jesus so that we can also give Him to others! And woe to us, if the consolation that begun many years ago will end with us!”

The Mass ended with a simple procession with the image of Our Lady Consolata from the new Church to the Grotto.

It’s worth to note that everyone was dressed for the feast. White-Red-Yellow robe for the Liturgical dancers; green dress and blue blouse (for ladies) checked-white shirt and black trouser for the choir members; Catholic Women Association’s blue uniform for women; headgears and necklaces known in this region as changa for a good number of Christians, and the clergy in white!

A feast, in an African perspective, cannot be the feast per se without some jigs, hops, and refreshments. This was done in the afternoon. There were various performances of songs, plays and dance from the Pontifical Missionary Childhood, Catholic Women Association, Choir, various Small Christian Communities, etc., and a meal. We are grateful to Our Lady Consolata. Indeed we were consoled and are consoling!

[This article was published on the Consolata Missionaries website ]

Loiyangalani, Discovering Ecological Virtues

Each year, during the Lenten Season, the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), organize a Lenten Campaign. In the year 2019, CJPC had as its Lenten Campaign theme; ‘Uniting Healing and Renewal of our Nation, God’s Gift’.

The Catholic Church through the CJPC saw a great need of uniting, healing and renewing Kenya that has been torn apart on the line of negative ethnicity.

One of the tools the CJPC used to bring all Kenyans together is the Laudato Si. This is an Encyclical Letter that Pope Francis wrote on the 24th May 2015. The pope wrote this letter to all people living here on earth to protect it as a common home. Matters environment touch all, and its conservation is a call to all.

In line with this noble call by the CJPC and the pontiff, we in Loiyangalani parish, with the help of the Pastoral Coordinator of Marsabit diocese, Fr. Reuben, Mccj, had a two-day seminar to re-discover the ecological virtues to help us unite, heal and renew not only Kenya, but the whole world at large.

Loiyangalani is situated in the northern region of Kenya towards Ethiopia. Mostly it is a semi-desert; full of stones, rocks and some parts is sandy. This semi-desert zone borders Lake Turkana, one of the world’s rarest desert and saline lakes. This zone has neither a forest cover, nor a perennial or seasonal river! Not even a single factory is found here!

It has an approximately population of 20,000 inhabitants, mostly from Turkana, Samburu, Gabra, Rendille, Borana and the El Molo (a minority tribe in Kenya) ethnic groups. None of these tribes cultivate the land. They are pastoralist and fishermen.

Why then talk of the conservation of the environment to these people living in a harsh area?

Yes, Loiyangalani might not have a large forest cover like the equatorial forest, amazon forest, or a smaller one like Karura forest! But we have trees around! Loiyangalani has several scattered thorny trees serving as the only vegetation in this rocky and dusty area. Hence, there is the need of awareness on tree conservation and planting.

Yes, Loiyangalani has no factory! But we use factory products like soap, oil, perfume, metal and polythene containers, etc. Hence, there is the need of awareness on proper garbage disposal.

Yes, it is true that in Loiyangalani rain is a very rare phenomenon. Actually, it doesn’t rain. It drizzles. And if it showers, unlike the capital city’s friends who would run for cover, here, people jump on drizzling waters with joy. Yes, it is also true that Loiyangalani is a windy zone with climatic temperatures that ranges from 30˚C to 45˚C. But it is very true that, unlike the capital city’s friends who have water bills at the end of every month’s consumption, here, people don’t buy water! Loiyangalani has several springs that have served her population from time immemorial. Hence, there is the need of awareness on proper water consumption and storage.

Yes, Loiyangalani borders the salty desert Lake Turkana. But fish and other marine life exist within this saline lake. Actually, this lake feeds Loiyangalani inhabitants and beyond up to the North Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, especially villages bordering Uganda and D.R. Congo. Hence, there is the need of awareness on proper fishing and making the lake clean for the wellbeing of the marine life.

Therefore, the activities of the 8th and 9th March 2019 in Loiyangalani parish had a great pastoral impact in the need for conservation and protection of our environment.

On the first day, Fr. Reuben, MCCJ, had a series of talk with men. This culminated by the official foundation of the Catholic Men Association, Loiyangalani Parish. In this cultural setup, if one needs to involve the whole society in doing something serious like matters environment, men must be involved. It is a man-say-it-all society.

On the second day, Deacon Boniface Ochieng, imc gave a talk to a group comprising of Small Christian Community leaders, other Church group leaders and well-wishers on the Pastoral Influence of Laudato si in the Loiyangalani inhabitants. After the presentation (Identity, History and Context of its writing, Schema and Chapter analysis of Laudato si) and the contextualization of the Encyclical Letter, Laudato si, we had to reconcile the pontiff’s message on safeguard of our ecology and our lifestyle. This was done by providing a three-point Action Plan for Loiyangalani.

Primo, here in Loiyangalani, we resolved to plant more trees. Each Small Christian Community must plant a tree and make sure it is well watered.

Secundo, here in Loiyangalani, we resolved to proper disposal of the garbage. This also entails good use of our toilets.

Tertio, here in Loiyangalani, we created an Environment Team. This team is composed of four people. Their major task is to ensure that the trees are planted, and well taken care of. They will also coordinate other activities concerning the protection of our ecosystem.

We hope that this noble tool proposed by the CJPC in the 2019 Lenten Campaign will unite, heal and renew the Loiyangalani people.

[ This article was published in the Consolata Missionaries website]

MANIFESTATIONS DE L'ESPRIT SAINT

Jésus avait inauguré le Sacrement de la Confirmation uniquement pour nous donner l’Esprit Saint. L’Esprit Saint est la troisième personne de la Sainte Trinité qui principalement sanctifie les chrétiens, en les comblant de divers dons et de fruits. Ses manifestations dans l’Église signifient que le temps messianique inauguré par Jésus Christ est en train de s’accomplir. Dans le calendrier liturgique de l’Église, cinquante jours après la Résurrection du Seigneur, l’Église célèbre la descente de l’Esprit Saint sur les disciples. C’est ce qu’on appelle la Pentecôte. Depuis le jour de la Pentecôte, l’Esprit Saint se manifeste dans l’Église afin que les chrétiens puissent être de vrais témoins du Christ Ressuscité. Ainsi, nous allons méditer sur les manifestations de l’Esprit Saint dans l’Église aujourd’hui.

Sur ce, nous diviserons les manifestations de l’Esprit Saint en deux manières, à savoir des manifestions de l’action extérieure et des manifestations de l’action intérieure. Aujourd’hui, nous méditerons sur la première, en réservant la deuxième pour la prochaine rencontre.

Action Extérieure de l’Esprit Saint

Il s’agit de Dons de l’Esprit Saint qui se manifestent extérieurement pour le bien de tout le monde, c'est-à-dire, les dons spirituels qui démontrent la véracité de l’Évangile du Christ en bénissant toute la communauté. C’est ainsi qu’ils aideront les chrétiens dans leur vie morale, (Catéchisme, n° 1830).

Texte clef : 1 Co 12, 7-11 (voir aussi Is 11, 1-3)

Ils sont traditionnellement au nombre de sept :

La Sagesse : il s’agit de se conduire avec prudence et habileté pour réussir dans la vie, cf., 1 R 3, 6-14 ; l’art de bien vivre ; c’est l’exploration de plus hautes vérités chrétiennes (He 6,1) ; elle fait goûter la présence de Dieu ; donne de parole inspirée apportant une solution ou éclairage divin

L’Intelligence : elle aide à entrer dans le mystère de Dieu ; à comprendre la Parole de Dieu ainsi que des événements ou des situations

Le conseil : elle aide dans le discernement spirituel ; à faire le choix

La force : elle donne la persévérance dans l’épreuve ; le courage du témoignage, cf., Col 1, 11

La science (connaissance) : elle aide la raison pratique pour bien juger ; pour bien donner le sens à l’amour de Dieu dans la création

La piété : elle aide à entrer dans l’expérience de Dieu ; à avoir la confiance d’un enfant

La sainte crainte de Dieu : elle n’est pas la peur ; mais plutôt elle a le sens de voir la grandeur de Dieu ; une attitude de l’humilité  et d’émerveillement

Nous pouvons tirer trois leçons :

Par ces dons, l’Esprit Saint fait notre âme et notre corps un lieu délicieux ; une sainte demeure

Par ces dons, l’Esprit Saint nous rend saint à servir Dieu avec empressement et à lui obéir facilement

Par ces dons, l’Esprit Saint nous fortifie dans des moments de tentations

Action intérieure de l’Esprit Saint:

Il s’agit de vertus produites dans le croyant par l’Esprit Saint, c'est-à-dire les Fruits de l’Esprit Saint. C’est à travers elles que Dieu forme ou modèle nos caractères afin que nous nous ressemblions davantage au Christ. Ce sont ces fruits de l’Esprit Saint qui nous transforment intérieurement en nous faisant tendre vers la stature parfaite du Christ.

Texte clef : Gal 5, 22-23

Ils sont au nombre de douze :
Charité ;
joie ;
paix ;
patience ;
longanimité ;
bonté ;
bénignité ;
mansuétude ;
fidélité ;
modestie ;
continence ;
chasteté

Quelques considérations générales
Il faut :
Un éloignement total du mal
Un progrès complet dans le bien
La possession entière de l’excellence

Conclusion
Lisons  2 Co 7, 1

CAREME : TEMPS DE PURIFICATION

Le temps de carême est un temps fort de l’Église pour nous préparer à bien célébrer la pacques du Seigneur, qui est un grand mystère de notre foi. C’est une période de quarante jours, du Mercredi des cendres au Samedi saint sans compter les dimanches.  Elle est marquée par des gestes de pénitence qui se manifestent à travers la prière, le jeûne et l’aumône. Ainsi, nous rendons grâce au Seigneur qui nous l’accorde surtout à travers cet exercice spirituel où nous allons méditer sur ce moment favorable comme un temps de purification intérieure.

Sur ce, en premier lieu, nous allons faire une petite réflexion d’un texte biblique tiré de l’Evangile selon Saint Marc 1, 12-13. Ce texte biblique nous donnera le fondement biblique de quarante jours de purification. En deuxième lieu, nous proposerons quelques considérations générales et pratiques qui vont nous aider à bien vivre le carême en tant que ministres qui exercent le ministère de Lectorat dans l’Église.

I. Analyse de Mc 1, 12 -13

« 12 Et aussitôt, l’Esprit le pousse au désert. 13Et il était dans le désert durant quarante jours, tenté par Satan. Et il était avec les bêtes sauvages, et les anges le servaient.».

I.1 Episode avant

Le background immédiat de ce texte est celui du baptême de Jésus (cf., Mc 1, 9-11). Ce dernier vient de Galilée précisément à Nazareth, son village, pour être baptisé par Jean le Batiste dans le Jourdain. Aussitôt baptisé, deux signes venant des cieux affirment ce qui vient de se passer. Il s’agit d’une colombe et d’une voix.

De cet épisode, nous pouvons tirer deux leçons à savoir :

Jésus est le roi d’un nouveau peuple. Par l’Esprit, il est oint. C’est donc une investiture qui répond aux prophéties (Is 11, 2. 61, 1) ; la colombe, comme symbole d’Israël (cf., Hos 11, 11 ; Ps 74, 19) aussi montre que Jésus devient le représentant de ce nouveau peuple de Dieu.

Jésus est un serviteur dont le prophète Isaïe parle, cf., Is 42, 1. Par l’Esprit, il annoncera la justice aux nations, un rôle messianique.

I.2 Extrait : Mc 1, 12- 13

Personnage :

Dans ce texte, il est question de cinq personnages, à savoir :

L’Esprit : pousse Jésus au désert

Jésus : est poussé par l’Esprit au désert ; est aussi tenté par le Satan

Les bêtes sauvages : servaient Jésus au désert

Les anges : servaient Jésus au désert

Le Satan : tente Jésus

La géographie du texte :

Jésus est dans le désert durant quarante jours. Le désert est mentionné deux fois. Il faut donc noter que le désert a une double signification. Il s’agit, à la foi, d’un lieu géographique et d’une époque privilégiée de l’histoire du salut. 

Comme lieu géographique, le désert est, d’un coté, une terre que Dieu n’a pas bénie ; c’est une terre qu’habitent les démons, cf., Lc 8, 29. 11, 24, et les autres bêtes malfaisantes, cf., Is 13, 21. Et d’un autre, un lieu de rencontre avec Dieu, d’où est né le peuple d’Israël, cf., Ex 7, 16.

Tandis que comme une époque privilégiée de l’histoire du salut, le désert est un temps d’épreuves et d’apostasie pour le peuple (Dt 8, 2-4), un temps de gloire pour le Seigneur, un temps de la miséricordieuse fidélité de Dieu (Os 2, 16 ; Am 5, 25 ; Jr 2, 2-3 ; Ac 7, 42), un temps de ressourcement (1 R 19).

De ce texte, nous pouvons tirer ce qui suit :

Jésus a voulu revivre l’expérience du désert que le peuple juif avait faite de l’Egypte vers la terre promise. Mais à la différence de ce peuple qui était tombé dans l’épreuve, Lui, Jésus a demeuré fidele à Son Père. Il a donné sens à cette expérience qui avait échoué au temps de l’exode. Avec Lui, nous sommes capable de traverser des expériences trop dures de nos vie ; car, il faut savoir que Dieu ne nous a pas appelés à vivre au désert, mais à le traverser pour arriver à la terre promise.

 
II. Quelques considérations générales:

Nous avons deux considérations qui peuvent nous aider à bien se préparer pour la pacque du Seigneur, c'est-à-dire, les moyens concrets pour vivre le carême comme étant un moment de la purification.

II. 1. La prière:

La prière est l’une de trois piliers du temps de carême. Pour se purifier, nous proposons d’aller à la messe chaque jour durant ce temps de carême. La messe, comme prière par excellence, nous aidera à se purifier en écoutant la Parole de Dieu et se communiant à son corps et son sang pour notre salut.

II.2 Le pèlerinage :

Nous devons faire un pèlerinage à un lieu saint. Il ne faut pas penser aux lieux très loin ou compliqués pour y arriver ; mais plutôt à fréquenter notre grotte pour prier et demander la Vierge Marie de nous accompagner pendant ce moment fort de l’Église.

Conclusion
Lisons  2 Co 7, 1

[Cet article etait un exercise spirituel donne a un groupe de Lectorat à la paroisse Saint Joseph d’Arimathée du docèse de Kisantu, le 04 Mars 2018]

Loiyangalani, counting her blessings

The year 2018 came to an end some hours ago. But it is a year to recon with. One that Loiyangalani people and Catholic christians in particular will never forget. 

Why?

Well. Because we ended it very well. We sacramentally ended it on a very high note. Hence, still counting the graces of God that came with it.

The last month of 2018, the month of December alone, saw Maria Nyota ya Bahari, Loiyangalani Parish, celebrate five Sacraments out of seven in just 31 days! Baptism, Confession, Eucharist, Matrimony and Holy Orders. You will agree with me that the first three Sacraments are frequently celebrated. While the last two, which are also reffered to as the sacraments of service, is not a frequent affair, atleast in this side of the world. So, having celebrated them five just in a month, and at Loiyangalani...! A miracle! A grace from God!

On the eighth day of the twelfth month of the previous year, we had two sons, Alfonso Ebukut and Daniel Lelerai, of Maria Nyota ya Bahari, Loiyangalani parish, become priests in a colourful and grace-filled Holy Mass precided by His Lordship Rev. Peter Kihara, imc, Bishop of Marsabit Diocese.

Good to note that, this was the second Priestly Ordination in Loiyangalani town after the first one which took place ten years ago. In fact, it is the first one that inspired the newly ordained priests to walk the path to priesthood. We wish them the best in their priestly ministry.

Fourteen days after the celebration of the Sacrament of the Holy Orders, we were again celebrating yet another sacrament of service, that is Matrimony. Maria Nyota ya Bahari, Loiyangalani Parish witnessed a colourful celebration of the holy Matrimony of Alex and Lilian. We wish them the best in their matrimonial ministry.

And if you doubt that this side of the world rarely gets christians, then you may not be right.

On the twenty-eighth day of December, during the feast of the Holy Innocents, we baptised 18 infants in Loiyangalani. We also baptised 30 others in Moite, one of our Outstations, 104 km north of Loiyangalani town. Hence in that graceful month, we had 48 new christians added in our Baptismal Register. To them, we send our best wishes in their christian life.

All these are graces from God. We keep counting them. Thanking God for the good and happy ending of the year 2018. 

So, to you 2019, please let these graces continue flowing like a river, with God as its source. 

[This article was published in the Consolata Missionaries website

https://www.consolata.org/new/index.php/mission/nostridicono/item/2447-loiyangalani-counting-her-blessings]