KENYA: Bishops in Kenya Raise Liturgical Concerns, Call for Adherence
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) have raised liturgical concerns asking for cooperation from the faithful and all Church ministers.
In a letter addressed to the Chairpersons for the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (AOSK) and the Religious Superiors’ Conference of Kenya (RSCK), the bishops through the Commission for Liturgy highlighted the need for alignment of liturgical songs in the Church.
They noted in the letter dated Tuesday, March 5, and signed on behalf of the Secretary-General Very Rev. James Waweru Mwaura, that the Commission for Liturgy has been granted permission to align the current music to suit the revised edition of the Roman Missal both in English and Kiswahili.
“The Commission has embarked on the process of executing the mandate and in line with liturgical guidelines, seeks to inform the composers of the various liturgical songs on the same matter,” reads part of the letter referencing the permission that was granted last year in November after the bishops’ Plenary Assembly.
“The Commission will try its best to ensure that the spirit of the composer is maintained and at the same time being faithful to liturgical guidelines, will make changes to fit the current lyrics and ensure faithfulness to a given liturgical text,” the letter highlights further.
The KCCB’s Liturgical Commission informed all the music directors and those who train diocesan choirs that any alteration of the songs will be undertaken by the National Technical Liturgical Committee of the Commission to ensure unity and conformity on the alterations in wording and music scores.
In a separate letter, the Church leaders have also stressed having standardized and quality materials for making Church vestments saying, “Anyone wishing to make vestments must avail a sample of their material for authentication and approval. This is to ensure that they are dignified and exhibit excellent quality as well as their affordability.” Additionally, the sample is to be sent to the KCCB’s Commission for Liturgy.
Concerning this request, the prelates endorsed that Liturgical vestments be preferably bought “from contemplative monasteries who ordinarily do not have other income streams.”
The Monday, March 4, letter also pointed out the concern about church collections done within Mass which are not offertory collections that need to be regulated.
“These collections seem rather to be directed to the personal gain of the individual priest/minister, rather than being for the church use,” the bishops lamented in the letter copied to the KCCB chairman Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde of Mombasa Archdiocese, the chairman Commission for Liturgy Bishop Anthony Ireri Mukobo of Isiolo Diocese, the National Executive Secretary for Commission for Liturgy Fr. Bernard Ngaruiya and all Diocesan Pastoral Coordinators.
The commission concluded by seeking intervention on the matter of Church collections highlighting that all collections done within the Eucharistic Celebration are meant for Universal, Diocesan, and Parish support, and for charitable causes.
