KENYA: On World Day of Consecrated Life, the Religious Reminded to be “Witnesses of Mercy”
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
In commemoration of the annual World Day of Consecrated Life, Religious men and women in Kenya’s Archdiocese of Nairobi have been reminded of their call as witnesses of Mercy in Christ’s vineyard.
Speaking to hundreds of Consecrated persons gathered at the Holy Family Minor Basilica on Saturday, February 6, when the Archdiocese marked the event, the Apostolic Administrator of Nairobi Bishop David Kamau said that, God’s assurance of his mercy to those living Consecrated life is a source of “comfort and consolation.”
“As consecrated people we are called to be witnesses of the mercy of the Lord in which human beings find their salvation,” Bishop Kamau the Chairperson for the Commission of Religious and Clergy Liaison Committee of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) said during the homily and added that, “Consecrated life remains a privileged school of trust in God’s mercy and in his love that never abandons us.”
He highlighted that the more the Religious people move closer to Christ, the closer Christ is to them and the more they become helpful to others in leading them to the realization of God’s mercy.
“You cannot give what you don’t have,” the Prelate disclosed, and explained, “As Consecrated people we experience God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness which is not only for ourselves but also for our brothers and sisters since we are called to carry in our hearts and prayers the anxieties and expectations of human beings especially those who are far from God.”
Celebrated annually on February 2, the World Day for Consecrated Life was instituted by Pope St. John Paul II in 1997 to pray for women and men who have consecrated their lives to God’s service in particular Religious Orders and Societies of Apostolic Life. The celebration is also attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
According to Bishop Kamau who has been the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese before Pope Francis accepted resignation of John Cardinal Njue as the Archbishop of Nairobi in January 2021, “Consecrated life witnesses to the super abundance of love that is incentive to lose oneself in response to super abundance of love of the Lord who first lost his life for us.”
The Bishop asked the congregation to pray for Religious persons in their various needs for they are “precious gift to the Church and the world.”
“Today let us pray for the consecrated people who feel the burden of their daily effort in which there is little human gratification. Let us also pray for our elderly men and women Religious who are sick and who find their apostolates difficult… since they are the precious gift of the Church and the world that is thirsting for God and his word.”
Besides, he told the Religious, “full of trust and gratitude let us also renew the act of total offering of ourselves in the temple. Let us approach God who is all holy to offer our lives and our mission both as a community of men and women consecrated for the kingdom of God.”
On his part, John Cardinal Njue who was the main celebrant of the Saturday event encouraged the consecrated persons to remain united and appreciate the special day set aside for them as a day for renewal and thanksgiving.
“We are on a journey that has ups and downs. Let us remain united with the one who has called us. It is in that unity with the Lord that we shall always be able to find solutions even when there are difficulties, and it is only then that we shall have real joy at the end,” Cardinal Njue narrated.
Speaking on behalf of all the Religious, the National Executive Secretary of the Commission for Clergy and Religious of KCCB, Sr. Joan Mukhwana encouraged collaboration among the Consecrated persons and diocesan clergy.
“Let us try to collaborate, let us look for opportunities to work together for the sake of the mission of Christ and let us witness that we can work together to build the same unity,” Sr. Joan a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) said adding that “Our goal as Commission for Clergy and Religious is to promote mutual collaboration between the clergy and the Religious in the Archdiocese.
Additionally, the Chairperson for the Clergy in the Archdiocese of Nairobi Fr. Martin Kimama, expressed appreciation for the services offered by the Religious in the Archdiocese saying, “We appreciate the fact that we work in unity. We have more than 40 parishes run and animated by Religious men and women and many institutions that are fulfilling the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ due to your leadership.”
“We can only hope and pray that this unity and commonality of vision will continue to keep growing this solidarity so that our mission may be fulfilled,” Fr. Kimama appealed and added, “May we all pray for each other, for our superiors and bishops so that we continue working for the greater glory of the kingdom of God.”
