Issue No. 53: November, 2007
The Truth: Machakos Link Newsletter
An organ of communication of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos
"Unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies..."
SUNDAY COMMENTARIES – NOVEMBER
FEAST OF THE MONTH – CHRIST THE KING
OLD AGE IS GOLD – WORLD DAY FOR THE OLD
PASTORAL LETTER OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOP’S IN KENYA ON THE FORTHCOMING GENERAL ELECTION – 2007
ASSISI SISTERS OF MARY IMMACULATE
31st Sunday of the Year:
Wis 11.22 - 12.2; 2 Thes 1.11 - 2.2; Luke 19.1-10
God loves all His creation especially human beings whom he created in His own image and likeness. In the history of Salvation, Jesus says he came so that we may have life and have it in abundance. Hence God does not intend to loose any of his creation but to reconcile us with himself. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that God will make them worthy of his call so that they may be glorified in Christ. When Christ visited the home of Zacchaeus, he did not only want to show himself to Zacchaeus but also to bring salvation to him. To the Jews Jesus had done something wrong but for Jesus, it was an act of salvation. This tax collector made a true confession which was accompanied by acts of charity and reparation. Jesus wants us to give up our sinful life and be united fully with him. How often do we Christians disregard sinners and fail to bring them the Good news of salvation?
32nd Sunday of the Year:
2 Mac. 7.1-2, 9-14; 2 Thes 2.16 - 3.5; Lk 20.27-38
Martyrdom is an act of firm conviction on what one believes. In the religious circle, believe in the Divine truths can cost someone’s life. In the first reading we hear of the seven sons and their mother who could not eat pig’s meat because so doing they will violate a divine law. They chose to die rather than violate their religious law. See the words each spoke before his death: Each makes an act of faith before death. It is clear that they believed in the resurrection and an after life reward. In the Gospel Christ challenges the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection and tells them that God is for the living? Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to face persecution with courage knowing that their reward will be great. How often do we give in to trials and forget the reward promised to those who will be faithful to the end?
33rd Sunday of the Year.
Mal.3.19-20; 2 Thes 3.7-12; Lk 21.5-19
The Lord comes to rule the earth with Justice. It is a fundamental believe of all Christians that, Christ will come again as a fulfillment of His promise to His disciples. No one knows when He will come except the Father. When the Lord comes again, He will take His own to live with them forever. The prophet Malachi says that the time will come for the evil to be punished. Saint Paul reminds us that we should not bother to know the time when Christ will come but to continue working so that when he comes he may find us ready to partake in the eternal banquet. Today, we have so many apocalyptic preachers who speak as though it has been revealed to them when the Lord will come. The church has been facing persecutions from its foundation. Jesus reminds us that he will give a provision for those who will be tried and they will overcome. Let us always sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his instructions.
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST THE KING
2 Sam 5.1-3; Col 1.12-20; Lk 23.35-43
A king is a sign of unity in a given society. We always want to have a leader among ourselves so that we may have one who will direct us at a given moment and situation. In the history of humanity, we read of different leaders: How they were chosen, how they worked and their relationship with their subjects. Christians celebrate Christ as a universal King. Unlike the earthly kings, his mission was not to gain power but to save humanity. He did not pride in a battalion but was ready to obey the will of his father. He did not seek to be celebrated, but to reconcile the sinful humanity. He did not seek the throne of honor but sought to identify with all. He did not own a palace but lived among his people. When we are baptized, Paul reminds us that God gives us the privilege of sharing in royal throne of Christ. Let us work for our salvation and salvation of others.
Fr Francis Maundu - (Urbaniana-Rome)
“Worthy is the lamb that was sacrificed, to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing” (Rev. 6:120) Christ the King is the Feast that Marks the end of liturgical year (34th Sunday). It is of great importance to note that this is a medieval feast which uses the metaphors of a “King” a powerful one in those days to describe the role of Jesus. The Kingdom which Christ preached was that of His Father in heaven, a Kingdom which had always been there but which now (through Jesus) were beginning to recognize for the first time.
The kingdom of Jesus Christ is summarized in the words of our Father. Forgive us as we forgive no matter how many times we say that prayer, the meaning seems to allude us, we expected to be forgiven, but we don’t want to forgive. Jesus proclaimed it clearly that, kingdom He came to preach is written within us, for the word of God is very near in our mouth and heart.
Therefore, Christians who pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom prays rightly to have it within themselves that it may grow and bear fruit and become perfect. God’s Kingdom cannot exist along side the reign of Sins.
Therefore, if we wish God to reign in us, in no way should sin reign in our mortal body; rather we should mortify our members on earth and bear fruit in the spirit. There should be in us a kind of spiritual paradise where God may walk and be our sole ruler with His Christ. All this can happen in us all, until the last enemy, death, can be destroyed, then Christ will say in us” Oh death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory? And so what is corruptible in us must be clothed in holiness and incorruptibility, and what is mortal must be clothed, now that death has been conquered, in the fathers immortality, then God will reign in us and we shall enjoy even now the blessings of rebirth and resurrection.
Brethren, we give to God the father, who has made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the Saints in light, who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature; for in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, Whether thrones or dominations or prinupalities or powers.
All things were created by him and in Him and he is before all, and by him all things consists and he is the head of the body the church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he may hold the primary; because in him it has well pleased the Father, that all fullness should dwell and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both to the things that are on earth and things in heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Reflections:
How do we contribute to the growth of the Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus Christ?
What kind of God do we worship, is he the King and Lord of our lives?
Have we allowed Him to rule in our hearts, families, and villages? Then lets all fight the evil in the society through the power of Christ the King.
“We are sons and daughters of Christ the King”
By Rev. Fr. Alphonse Muema K
Day Star University
“You are a donor, I am a donor” spirit for church needs yielded seven souvenir church benches for Kilungu Parish pioneers, including a complementary founder’s stone plaque and roadside parish sign board. Recognized for service to the church, were the parish founder, pioneer catechists, first local priest and a pioneer Christian couple. Fr. in charge Fr. Dominic Malai and successor Fr. Josephat Makau, received and blessed the gifts on the 2007 feast of St. Peter and Paul, the Parish Patrons, which marked 87 years of evangelization in Kilungu.
Publications on the Catholic Church in Kenya affirm Theophil Mulwa, Joseph Ivita, Michael Kitumba and Theodore Ndunga, from Kilungu, as the pioneer catechists of Ukambani. Mulwa, the first Mukamba Catholic, after encountering the Holy Ghost Missionaries in Nairobi, was their catechist at Kiambu Mission, 1911. He brought the other three, catechized them and they were baptized, 1914, joining him as catechists, too. When Fr. James Horber, CSSP with whom they collaborated, was assigned with them to Kabaa Mission, 1918 they became resourceful mobilizers of Akamba Christians.
However, Fr. James Horber relocated to fresh fields of Kilungu, 1920 where the catechists’ eager converts and the locality supported him to establish the Catholic Church on a firm basis, somewhere in Ukambani. He built a permanent church, priest house and the first Sisters Convent in Ukambani. The Sisters complementary role, especially in education and health care, is praiseworthy. The spill-over effect of the faith reached the contiguous areas, presently the parishes of Mbitini , Kasikeu, Kiongwani, Kyale, Mbooni, Kola, Kaumoni and Makueni.
A conservationist, Fr. Horber developed a cypress forecast resource around the Mission. He also introduced the wattle tree, which the local people embraced and planted extensively. Its value for tannin extraction from the bark, charcoal production, fuel wood and building material, provided an economic life support to the locality for years.
Such early embrace of the faith inspired Bishop Emeritus Urbanus Kioko to pioneer the priesthood vocation, joining the ordination of the first two akamba priests, January, 1961.
He was successive Bishop of Machakos 1973 – 2003, thus contributing to the local leadership of the church. In his introduction to a souvenir booklet: Aklisto ma mabee Kilungu, 1941 – 1931, he exhorted the pioneer Christians for their steadfastness, exemplified in their devotion to praying the Rosary, regular mass attendance, understanding their catechism well, respecting the sanctity of the sacrament of matrimony and loyalty to the church and its ministers. He urged succeeding generation to emulate them.
I am grateful to my friends for donating the mentioned souvenirs: Mr. C.S Mbindyo, EBS, five benches, pioneer’s plaque and sign board; Dr. H.M. Mule, MBS one bench for the memory of Joseph Ivita to whose grand daughter, Martha he is married and Mrs. Mary Mueni Mulandi one bench for the memory of her pioneer Christian parents, Raphael and Rosa Maei. Bravo Kilungu Parish Pioneers!
D.J. Muthengi
Athi River Parish
The day for the old was celebrated on October 1st 2007 worldwide and Kanzalu Mission which has the progrmme for the old was not left behind in this. It is a programme run by the little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi with its Co-ordinator Sr. Angela Ndwiga. It comprises of the old from all denominations both men and women and the programme covers the whole of Kangundo area.
It all started with the Eucharist celebration presided over by Rev. Fr. Alphonse Muema and after all the old (guest of the day) and all others invited gathered outside the church for entertainments by the Misyani Youth polytechnic and the youth from the Misayni station.
During the speeches, the co-rdinator Sr. Angela Ndwiga encouraged the old to keep united and assist each other and especially in their various projects (tree Nurseries, poultry keeping). She stressed that the Word of God stands firmly as offered to the current devaluation of the old. They are to be given honour and respect (Lev: 19:32). Their advice is to be sought (proverbs 23:22), old people are not some separate species, but ordinary people who happen to be old, whom we are commanded to love as ourselves to care for in their need, to treat as valuable and important. Therefore, she urged the Christians to lead the way in loving the elderly sacrificially, imaginatively and perseveringly.
Further, Mr. Tito from help age Kenya congratulated all the officials who have made the project a success and especially assisting the old get united and know their rights through adult education provided in the programme. He said that even the old have responsibility over themselves. As difficult as their circumstances may be, they have no right to be selfish, complaining and critical but rather loving and be a source of encouragement. They shouldn’t make unreasonable demands upon their relations and friends, nor act as if the world would revolve around them. They too must continue to struggle against their sin and ask God for daily graces to overcome it. Mr. Tito promised continued support to the old people of Kanzalu from the head office.
In addition, Fr. Alphonse Muema encouraged the old to remain united and trust in the Lord despite the fact that they long for stability. They are called upon to face drastic and sometimes unwelcome changes like family movements which have broken the extended family unit, loss of partners, cope with illnesses, pain or loss of mobility. He cited out loneliness and rejection today as a very real problem facing the old. As contemporaries die and families move. He challenged the Christians to take care of the old since scripture places the main responsibility for the care of the elderly upon the shoulders of younger relations. Such care is an essential element of saving religion (1timothy 5:4-8). Quoting psalm 92:14, 15, Fr. Alphonse Muema told them that they will still continue bearing fruits in old age; they will stay fresh and green proclaiming that the Lord is upright, he is my rock and there is no wickedness in Him.
Others who attended the celebration and encouraged the old were the Kangundo Administration, programme leaders, the little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi community who runs the programme, the local leaders and the Misyani Christian community. They all agreed that old age is gold and should be proud of it.
Covered & Compiled by
Fr. Alphonse Muema - Day star University
PATRIOTISM
We need to promote patriotism in Kenya. Our Country is loosing many of its sons and daughters to other countries in search of “greener pastures”. The so called “brain drain” is a damaging our progress as a nation. We expect our soon-to –be-elected leaders to create a climate in Kenya where this misfortune will stop.
QUALITIES OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTIONS
We are calling on all Kenyans to inform themselves adequately on those seeking election. It is not enough to know the candidates’ qualities vaguely. We must establish their stand on relevant issues and know their track record on honesty and uprightness.
There is no shortage of candidates for the many elected posts in our country. From our perspective, wananchi must be careful to elect honest and trustworthy candidates. If a corrupt person is elected, the long cycle of deprivation and abuse of office will be prolonged and the moral fibre of our nation will continue to be eroded.
Our dear Kenyans, we would like to outline some of these qualities that we should look for as we exercise our democratic right. All of us as citizens expect the following values or principles to be incorporated into the vision of our leaders.
Religious freedom for all people living in Kenya be upheld and respected.
The dignity of each and every human person be enhanced and protected.
Everybody should respect the basic right to life from the moment of conception to natural death. This means no abortion, no Euthanasia and no capital Punishment. The fifth commandment of God instructs …… “You shall not kill” (Ex: 20:13)
Elected leaders shall recognize the centrality of the family in society and defend it.
Elected leaders shall promote the common good where all people participate and benefit from the goods available. Selfishness and greed must stop.
Leaders must protect the interest of the weak, the poor and the marginalized in society wherever they are found.
Leaders must support measures which guarantee security for all in whichever place or situation in which people find themselves. The rule of law and order must be upheld.
Idleness is causing a lot of problems for our country. So leaders must promote the right to work, the rights of workers and employers. Kenya must be a working nation if it has to achieve its goals.
One political leader must work towards providing, access to water, regular food, good roads, quality education and health care.
Leaders must ensure that measures are taken to protect the environment.
Elected leaders must foster the culture of living together in peace, justice for all, dialogue, political tolerance and living according to the rule of Law and Order.
The leaders should not divide wananchi along tribal or ethnic lines but work-together as a unified nation for prosperity.
Any candidate promoting violence or inciting people to violence or promoting hatred should not be elected.
Kenya needs elected leaders who will handle the perennial problem of Land affecting the nation. Some individual people own massive lands and others are born and live in the gutters and streets of our cities and in the mountains.
Many others are perpetual squatters and thus are reduced to sub-human living. We urge that displaced persons should be re-settled.
Leaders must ensure a more equitable distribution of natural and national resources of Kenya to help build up one nation.
To be continued in the next issue……...
The Congregation of Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate was founded by Monsignor Joseph K.W Thomason 2nd April 1949 at Green Gardens, Kerala, and South India. He started this congregation to take care of the people suffering from Leprosy and who were also stigmatized and rejected by the family and society.
The Charism of the Congregation is to follow Jesus and radiate His Compassionate love in joyful service to the sick, the poor and the rejected in the society, especially the Leprosy stricken brethren. To extend the compassion and healing power of Jesus, the Congregation has established Leprosy hospitals, Leprosy asylums, general hospitals, blind, Deaf, Mentally retarded in 4 countries: India, Germany, Italy and Africa.
The History of our Congregation in Kenya is about but filled with abundant blessings since the year 2003 when we were first invited by Rt. Rev. Peter Kihara – Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Marsabit to assist the Diocese to reopen Kiriaini Mission Hospital.
In the year 2005 Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales welcomed us to evangelize with them by taking up medical health project in Mlolongo.
Rt. Rev. Martin Kivuva Musonde Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos gave us his fatherly blessings and the green light to proceed with the Ministry of healing in the Diocese. However we were not able to initiate anything until the following year 2006, when our province made this Nursing Home project a priority. The construction commenced in March 2006 and completed by August 2007.
We had the Solemn Holy Mass presided by Monsignor Alphonse Mondiu the Vicar General of Machakos Diocese with several priests and religious from different Congregation. It was a glorious day filled with blessings of God in the history of our Congregation as well as Assisi Nursing Home. Thanks be to God.
Sr. Mercy Francis
Animator & Administrator
Assisi Nursing Home Mlolongo
The Diocese wishes to pass our heart felt condolences to Rev. Fr. Peter Mbondi and Seminarian Nicholus Wambua Mbondi who lost their father Mr. James Mbondi Mativo. Feel our support and be assured of our prayers. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Poleni sana and take courage
The Catholic Diocese of Machakos Congratulates His Eminence John Njue Cardinal Elect. The new Archbishop of Nairobi Archdiocese. There will be a Canonical Installation at Holy Family Basilica on 1st November 2007 the solemnity of all Saints.
All are welcome.
We wish His Eminence God’s blessings and be assured of our prayerful support.
Hongera His Eminence John Njue Cardinal Elect
Rev. Fr. Josephat Manyi - Pontificio Universita della Santa Croce - Rome
Rev. Fr. Francis Maundu - Pontifical University of Urbaniana Biblical Theology – Rome
Rev. Fr. Sylvester Muli - Pontifical University of the Holy Cross - Rome
Rev. Fr. Charles Kilonzo - Catholic University of Eastern Africa Nairobi
Rev. Fr. Julius Kioko - Spain
Rev. Fr. Patrick Mutuku - Kenyatta University
Rev. Fr. Alfonse Muema - Day Star University
Rev. Fr. Raphael Ndile - Kenyatta University
Uw’o Congratulates Rev. Fr. Patrick Sila who graduated at the Nairobi University. Hongera Rev. Fr. Patrick Sila
Rev. Fr. Bernard Musyoki - Institute of St. Anselm U.K
Rev. Fr. Marco Kitonyi - Institute of St. Anselm U.K
Rev. Fr. Boniface Nzomo Santa Rosa California U.S.A
Rev. Fr. Dominic Malai Santa Rosa California U.S.A
NOVEMBER
3rd Thanksgiving Mass towards the Diocesan Support at Cathedral 10.00 AM (Muvothi)
7-8th Kitui Diocese
10th Makueni Parish (Profession)
11th Machakos Cathedral (R.N.D.M)
12-28th ADLIMINA - ROME
29th CWA/CMA
30th Mbooni Confirmation
DECEMBER
1st Mbiuni Parish – F.C.C Sisters
2nd Mbooni Confirmation
6th PC - K.C.S
7th Matuu Parish Confirmation/Harambee
9th Kabati Kitui - Confirmation
10-12th Kitui Diocese Office
14th Mtito Andei - Blessing Ave Maria School
15th Nairobi
16th Kyale Parish - Silver Jubilee
17th Machakos Diocese - Office
18th KCS - Nairobi
20th Kitui Diocese
24th Kitui Diocese - Vigil Mass
25th Machakos - Cathedral - Christmas Mass
I thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness & Love
Catholic Diocese of Machakos
P.O. Box - 344 -90100 Machakos
Tel. +254-44-20484; Fax. +254-44-21308
E-mail: bishopsomks@wananchi.com
Website: http/www.machakosdiocese.org