KENYA: Mentor young adults to appreciate the value of the Family Institution
By Rose Achiego, Waumini Communications KCCB
The Deputy General Secretary of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Vey Rev. Fr. Lucas Ong’esa Manwa has called upon priests in all Dioceses to come up with solid vocational programs that would guide young adults in building strong and firm families.
Speaking at the Kenya Catholic Secretariat during a press conference ahead of African Regional Conference on Families, Fr. Ong’esa affirmed that, the church upholds the exclusive union of a man and woman as central to marriage, and thus cannot accept the civil redefinition as the union of any two persons. He emphasized that the civil redefinitions make it important for the church to mould the young adults to understand the teachings of the Catholic Church.
“The Church should develop creative pastoral strategies and vocational programs for young people to avoid moral confusion, misunderstanding, misinformation and emptiness,” said Fr. Ong’esa.
He encouraged everyone to uphold the dignity of the institution and sacrament of marriage and to recommit themselves to building up the human family. He further encouraged the society to encourage Christian marriages between man and woman because the family remains the basic unit of civilization. He noted that families have proven to be the unit where rights and needs of children are supported and protected. He encouraged the faithful to make their homes, families and parish communities’ holy welcoming places for women and men.
Quoting the apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia ‘the Joy of Love’ of Pope Francis he reminded parish priests that “the main contribution to the pastoral care of families is offered by the parish, which is the family of families, where small communities, ecclesial movements and associations live in harmony.”
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