KENYA: Catholic Bishops Re-awakens Biblical Apostolate Programme in the Country
Bishop Mbatia (centre) with the Participants
In the endeavour to evangelize and to spread the Gospel of Christ throughout the Country, The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) is planning to establish a Biblical Apostolate Office at the National level.
In the first meeting ever held at the Catholic Secretariat, 12 representatives from different dioceses who have programs on Biblical Apostolate led by Delegate of KCCB for Africa on Biblical Apostolate and the Bishop of Nyahururu Rt. Rev Joseph Mbatia, came together to deliberate on how to disseminate the messages of the bible to the Christians, to know the dioceses where the biblical apostolate has already taken root and which once to reach out to.
Bishop Mbatia said a bible is a tool for evangelization, source of knowing God and a tool to help Christians understand God more, adding that once the faithful understand the word of God, the people will be transformed and will manifest the common good in return.
He revealed that Vatican II encourages the faithful to study the bible and so the bishops are implementing what has been said by the Church. “Vatican II is clear that the Christians must understand the bible and must be allowed to understand the word of God” He reiterated
Rt. Rev. Mbatia has requested bishops to appoint pastoral coordinators where there are none as the team needs to have a working document for guidance to enable the speedy implementation of the program in various dioceses.
The meeting that took place on 21st, March, 2017, was attended by Biblical Scholars, Pastoral Coordinators and other representatives mostly drawn from the dioceses where biblical apostolate is practiced like Bungoma, meru, Kitale and Machakos. Though not well structured the Bishop said seminars are being given in those dioceses.
By Rose Achiego
