KENYA: “Let’s Walk the Synodal Journey in a Clean Environment” Fidei Donum 2022 Convention Call
Bishop Michael Odiwa
Elizabeth Asasha
Diocesan priests who serve as missionaries in different parts of the country have thrummed up testimonies on the joy of reaching out to the underserved communities to evangelize as witnesses of Christ for a healthy environment.
The priests shared mission experiences and challenges during their annual Fidei Donum assembly, held on September 30, 2022, at the Watakatifu Wote Pastoral Center in the Catholic Diocese of Ngong.
The National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Kenya, Fr. Bonaventure Luchidio, explained this year’s theme, “Witnessing in a Synodal Church for a Clean Environment” saying, “Our idea is to remind ourselves and the world that we are witnesses of Jesus, and this meeting helps us to sink into this reality and give ourselves that identity as missionaries of Jesus and the environment.
The five-day meeting was officially opened on Sunday, September 25, 2022, by Rt. Rev. John Oballa Owaa, bishop of the Ngong Diocese, who emphasized the foundation of the Fidei Donum Spirit as enshrined in Pius XII’s papal encyclical (April 21, 1957.)
“We should always be ready and available to go on mission without counting the cost; to leave our comfort zones and go forth to the uncomfortable places to evangelize,” said Bishop Oballa on the first day of the gathering.
In his address on the last day of the convention, Bishop Michael Odiwa of Homabay Diocese called for a two-tier healing of the nation and nature: “We have been thinking of how we can incorporate the healing of this country in so far as what has transpired recently is concerned, specifically the elections and how we can incorporate that with the environment that we are called and given by God to live in.”
The religious leaders spotlighted the significance of the annual conference in spurring them to continue their missionary activities in unfamiliar, and often challenging environments.
“Very often when we are faced with challenges in our mission, we feel we are alone but when we meet and hear testimonies from priests who work from different places, we learn and find the strength to continue serving,” explained Fr. Michael Mutai who is currently serving at Good Shepherd Parish in Kakuma.
“These are priests who are working in places that they never envisaged, and they have been invited to go and fill in some of those dioceses with a shortage of priests. They share their experiences and sorrows and from that sharing, they get encouraged for the work they are doing because some of the circumstances they are sent are quite challenging” said bishop Odiwa.
When asked about what he gleaned from the meetings, Rev. Fr. Aurelio Herciu, a Fidei Donum priest from the Bucharest Archdiocese serving in the Marsabit diocese in Kenya said, “We got really strong testimonies from diverse areas, and with this, we are richer. I am going back with the spirit of family, that I am never alone.” He remarked.
Similar sentiments were shared by Lodwar-based Fr. Victor Philips Temanil who said, “We share Jesus in the mission and this is not only through preaching but also witnessing, and as we witness, we also awaken the minds of those we serve to the reality and what we can accomplish in our parishes.”
The priests issued a unified appeal to the faithful, urging baptized Christians to “go by giving or give by going” as they prepare to join Pope Francis in marking the World Mission Sunday, on October 23.
“You should all, as baptized Christians, stand with the holy father on mission Sunday through donations and we as priests shall give ourselves to the mission with joy and love because we are a universal church; one holy and apostolic church.”
“We are a gift of faith from the dioceses where we were born to the ones that are in dire need of our service,” he continued, “I am a priest in the catholic diocese of Eldoret but I have given myself out as a gift to the Lodwar Diocese.” said Fr. Michael Kipkemboi Mutai.
Homabay Diocese Bishop, Rt. Rev. Michael Odiwa commended and encouraged the Fidei Donum priests who have dedicated themselves to walking the synodal journey for ecological conservation in remote, marginalized areas with foreign cultures.
“Wherever we find ourselves in whatever we do, it is always desired that we are working towards the care for the environment that has gone through a lot of havoc through generations, past and present.” He noted.
Echoing the bishop’s words, Fr. Bonaventure Luchidio noted that the catholic church is missionary by nature and, “Our formation is the kind that teaches us that we are diocesan, but it is now time to embrace the idea of universality, that I am being trained to be a universal priest and reach out to the whole world.”
“Witnessing is love and we are being encouraged to walk together,” said Sr. Esther Kimani, PMC National Coordinator (KCCB), adding, “What I am learning as I journey with the Fidei Donum priests is that Pope Francis’ words are real and timely.” She went on to emphasize the importance of journeying together as members of one universal church sharing experiences and challenges of being a missionary.
“I have learned one very significant thing in this year’s Fidei Donum convention, and this is that God cares for me and I am being called to take part in God’s love and care for His creation.” Said Fr. Victor Temanil during the closure of the convention.
Throughout the five days, the priests engaged in recollections, plenary discussions, and deliberations on the sub-themes; children and mission, women as the drivers of the economy, faith and environment, and evangelizing missions. The team also visited St. Thomas Aquinas Senior Seminary in Nairobi, Kenya where they interacted with seminarians.
The annual plenary was concluded by Holy Mass on Friday, September 30, at the Watakatifu Wote Chapel in Ngong, Kajiado, officiated by Rt. Rev. Michael Otieno Odiwa of the Catholic Diocese of Homabay.
