ROME: ‘Waste Time with Young People’ Archbishop Muheria tells his Brother Bishops
Most Rev. Anthony Muheria of the Archdiocese of Nyeri, Kenya, has urged his brother Bishops to interact more with young people, ‘waste time with young people, hang around them and make them feel at ease around them’.
Archbishop Muheria spoke in an interview with one of the Catholic Publications, Crux, at the Vatican where he is currently participating in the Bishops’ Synod on the Youth Faith and Vocation Discernment.
In the interview which has been republished by The Tablet Archbishopp Muheria said, “There’s a lot of fury that goes on in discussing what we should do for the young people; what we should propose to them; what young people seemingly want to say.”
Archbishop Muheria who is also the Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui observed that if there’s no connection between the bishop and the young people, the young people will not just listen. He added that winning a space in the hearts of youth is something as necessary today as it was in the past.
Archbishop Muheria is convinced that beyond the Pastoral Office, there is need for “a digital pastoral office, where the bishop is able to interact pastorally with the individuals. We have to go out there, meet with them. I’m not saying this as a theory, but as something we have done and that’s worked.”
The whole interview which covered a wide range of topics including his experience at the synod, his take on clericalism and the virus in ethnicity which is synonymous with many African countries can be found online on The Tablet Magazine.
Meanwhile Archbishop Muheria, in his recorded message sent to Kenyan Catholic Media Fraternity, said that Pope Francis “remembers with great fondness his last visit to Kenya and especially his meeting with the young people in Kasarani Stadium, a meeting that left very strong message embedded and engraved in the hearts and minds of the young people.”
“These days have been wonderful days where we are listening to the various experiences from all over the world as well as reflecting on what is especially happening to the young people in our Church,” he said, adding that the Holy Father has asked for daily recitation of the Holy Rosary in this Month of October, asking Our Lady to intercede for the success of the Synod so that participants at the Synod may listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling the Church in these days.
Archbishop Muheria also asks that this be a moment to pray for the young people so that they may open their hearts and minds to be touched by Christ in this moment of graces.
A total of eleven AMECEA Bishops are currently at the Vatican attending the Bishops’ Synod. They include: from Ethiopia H.E. Berhaneyesus Cardinal D. Souraphiel, C.M., Archbishop of Addis Ababa and Rt. Rev. Roberto Bergamaschi, S.D.B., Vicar Apostolic of Awasa; from Eritrea Rt. Rev. Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim, Bishop of Segheneity; from Kenya H.E. John Cardinal Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi and Most Rev. Anthony Muheria, Archbishop of Nyeri and Apostolic Administrator of Kitui Diocese; From Malawi Most Rev. Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye, Archbishop of Lilongwe.
Others are from Uganda Rt. Rev. Paul Ssemogerere, Bishop of Kasana-Luwero and Rt. Rev. Damiano Giulio Guzzetti, M.C.C.I Bishop of Moroto; from South Sudan is Rt. Rev. Edward Hiiboro Kussala, Bishop of Tombura-Yambio; from Tanzania is Rt. Rev. Renatus Leonard Nkwande, Bishop of Bunda; while from Zambia is Rt. Rev. Valentine Kalumba, O.M.I., Bishop of Livingstone Diocese
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