KENYA: Sisters of Saint Joseph of Mombasa Set to Make Their Patron Saint Known in Small Christian Communities
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
During the year-long celebration of Saint Joseph the foster-Father of Jesus as declared by Pope Francis in a decree which also announced the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the saint as the patron of the Catholic Church, a Congregation of Religious women under the patronage of St. Joseph is set to teach Christians the role and importance of the spouse of the Virgin Mary in the Church.
Speaking to AMECEA online in an interview Wednesday, March 3, the Superior General of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Mombasa (SSJ) Sr. Jane Awuor disclosed that the congregation has organized year-long activities to be carried out within the regions of the institute, parishes and communities as an “opportunity to make known St. Joseph.”
“Right now, we have organized seminars for Small Christian Communities (SCC’s) to enlighten the Christians about St. Joseph so they can understand his life and who he is in the Church,” Sr. Jane narrated.
She adds, “Our congregation comprise of five regions in Kenya and Tanzania including the Coastal region, Taita and Taveta region, Malindi region, Rift Valley and Central region and Kilimanjaro region. In all these regions we will find appropriate ways to spread information about St. Joseph depending on the culture of each area.”
Echoing the Superior General’s message, one of the council members of SSJ congregation Sr. Agnes Odiaga told AMECEA online that “the sisters working within the Rift Valley region which covers part of Kenya’s Kitale diocese, will be teaching members of Small Christian Communities about the hidden life of St. Joseph and also empower the men to take up the responsibility of being a father in the family by emulating St. Joseph.”
Sr. Agnes who hails from Kenya’s Mombasa Archdiocese highlighted that the religious women will have monthly talks with the men in parishes irrespective of age beginning the month of March so the men can “embrace their role in the family.”
“Every month we will talk with the men in parishes, our theme will be drawn from the litany of St. Joseph to teach them about the life of St. Joseph,” Sr. Agnes narrated adding that “We have also liaised with the parish priest and every Wednesday we will be having adoration and teachings on the hidden life of St. Joseph. Our target during the whole year’s activity is on men, but anybody is allowed to attend the adoration.”
Narrating further about some of the activities the 92 year-old congregation intends to carry out during the year of St. Joseph, the Superior General Sr. Jane said, “Each region will have a pilgrimage walk carrying the statue of St. Joseph accompanied with prayers. The activity begins from the regional house and the statue is taken to the next community of the SSJ’s. This statue will move from community to community until it gets back to the Regional house.”
According to the Kenyan nun who is at the helm of the congregation whose spirituality “is rooted in humble obedience to the will of God and simplicity that was witnessed in the life of St. Joseph,” besides prayer devotions, the SSJ nuns working in institutions named after St. Joseph will organize with their staff to offer humanitarian support to children’s homes, rescue centers, street children’s home and elderly homes managed by the congregation.
In conclusion, Sr. Jane from Kenya’s Archdiocese of Kisumu underscored that the congregation’s intent is to make all the Sisters feel St. Joseph as their patron hence “all communities in the congregation have daily devotional prayers of St. Joseph formulated by the members of SSJ, St. Joseph rosary chaplet prayer and all regions will mark the forthcoming celebration of St. Joseph on 19th March in a special way.”
