KENYA: Bishops Call for Reflection on Significance of “Moral Formation” During 2021 Lenten Season
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
In preparation for this year’s Lenten season, a Christian tradition that commences from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday, the bishops under Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) have called on Catholics in the country to reflect on the aspect of moral formation in order to realize change in rebuilding the nation.
In their 40-day Lenten campaign booklet released ahead of the season which will be marked by Ash Wednesday, February 17, the Bishops noted that, “Moral formation is a foundation for the journey to holiness that all Christians and other people of goodwill are invited into through the Sacraments, reaching out to our neighbours and being responsible stewards of God’s gifts to us.”
Themed “Rebuilding Our Nation Through Inclusive And Accountable Governance,” the Chairman of KCCB’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) Bishop John Oballa Owaa has highlighted in the preface of the booklet that “Without depth in moral formation, it is difficult to achieve inclusive and accountable governance.”
Bishop Oballa of Ngong diocese who signed the preface, said the Catholics are to reflect on the theme of Lenten season from the lens of moral formation that will help citizens rebuild the nation as “a duty and responsibility of every Kenyan.”
The Lenten booklet has not only highlighted the problems affecting the society but also advocated for change whereby the bishops are calling for all Christians and people of good will to join them voice out the needs of the nation, saying that through “individual efforts, our small voices become much louder and each individual’s action is multiplied.”
Explaining the significance of moral formation for the realization of the 40-day running theme, the bishops have lamented that Kenyans seem to have lost the “moral campus.”
“Integrity is a moral tenet and an administrative principle that, if respected, helps us recognize the need for an upright and selfless service to each other, regardless of one’s social status,” the 2021 Lenten booklet reads in part.
The bishops who have described moral formation as “a call to holiness” reflected on the Gospel of Mathew and highlighted that “Our conduct and our works ought to reflect honesty, accountability and transparency,” through which Christians shall be at the service of each other as brothers and sisters of the same God.”
In a specific way, the bishops disclosed, “We focus this Lenten Campaign on moral formation because of the lessons we are learning from the realities around us, such as existential threats to the family, the worrying cases of teen pregnancies, political mobilization of youth to cause violence, rampant corruption, insecurity in parts of the country and the tendencies to break the love and unity of our country, which is essentially a family of God.”
Based on the focus of the 2021 Lenten campaign, the Church leaders have noted that the thematic areas reflect the spirit of the Bishops’ Pastoral Letter issued in February 2020 at the Subukia Shrine in Kenya’s Nakuru diocese that emphasized on the significance of individual conscience for the renewal and reconciliation of the nation.
The five weeks reflections during the Lenten season will focus on Holiness in the family, Holiness in the moral formation of the youth, Holiness in breaking the chain of corruption, Moral duty to improving security for all and Finding holiness in the common good.
KCCB members will launch the Lenten Campaign on February 13, in the Catholic diocese of Malindi few days to the beginning of Lent.
During the 40 days Spiritual journey that is linked to the Passion of Christ and the celebration of his Resurrection, Catholics prepare themselves through prayer, repentance, giving alms and self-denial.
