KENYA: John Paul II Institute of Marriage and Family Register Magnificent Growth
Dr. Sr. Florence Kabala, PMS, Programs Director, John Paul II Institute of Marriage and Famil-Kenya
John Paul II Institute of Marriage and Family-Kenya has registered a magnificent growth in number of students participating in the program considering its humble beginning in 2017 when the first batch of participants were only 24.
Speaking at the end of a three-week intensive formation programme on Marriage and Family Pastoral Ministry held in Nairobi-Kenya between May 20 and June 10, Sr. Florence Kabala PMS the director of the institute expressed gratitude to God and to the Institute in Rome for an overwhelming response of the Church in the region.
who participated in the program
“We started with few students in 2017; this time we have 90 students, of which 35 are taking the course on Marriage and Family Pastoral Ministry and these are basically the clergy and the Religious. We have 24 couples who are taking Family Studies and 35 catechists who are taking Family Ministry. The total number was supposed to be 95; unfortunately five fell sick and were not able to complete the program,” Sr. Kabala said.
According to Rt. Rev. Maurice Muhatia Makumba, Member of AMECEA Executive Board and
Bishop of Nakuru Diocese, Kenya, the project is in line with the the AMECEA Bishops resolutions during their 19th Plenary Assembly held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia in July 2018, which the AMECEA Executive Board and ratified it.
“It was one resolution with two implications: the first was to establish John Paul II Institute of Marriage and Family in the AMECEA Region; and as a consequence, they gave this special mandate to Philothea Missionary Society to help AMECEA implement this important resolution,” Bishop Muhatia said during the Eucharistic Celebrations to mark the end of the three-weeks formation on Monday, June 10 at St Joseph’s Centre at Karen in Nairobi.
Bishop Muhatia further indicated that AMECEA Bishops are aware of the importance of paying special attention to Christian marriages and Christian families in contemporary society in their respective conferences.
“As I look at these participants today, I am filled with joy. It is clear that we are growing in the mission for which Institute was established in the AMECEA region.”
Institute of Marriage and Family in Rome
Speaking at the same occasion, Prof. Stephan Martin Kampowski from the John Paul II institute of Marriage and Family in Rome who also took part in the formation of the participants expressed his delight at the dedication and enthusiasm which the participants exhibited during the formation.
“These days were a great joy for me to witness your dedication to the course of the Lord. I know that this time you spent here, you spent it for the Lord. Even though you were on the receiving end, you had to listen patiently for many hours. One can tell that this was part of your preparation for a mission,” Mr. Kampowski said, adding that it will be his great pleasure to testify about the success of the program to the President of John Paul II Institute and to all his colleagues and staff in Rome.
∽End∽
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
