Issue No. 78: January, 2010.
The Truth: Machakos Link Newsletter
An organ of
communication of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos
THAT ALL MAY BE ONE
WELCOME TO THE 2010
FEBRUARY PILGRIMAGE!
TERRES DES HOMES NETHERLANDS
PARTNER
MACHAKOS
CATHEDRAL CHILDREN PROGRAMME
COMMUNITY
BASED HEALTH CARE (C. B. H. C)
Remarkable
events -News brief.
Happy New year my Dear Uw’o Reader!
We thank God for the
gift of the year that has just ended 2009 as well as this New Year 2010 which
has begun. In a very special way we thank God for the gift of rains, which are
giving us great hope for a bumper harvest!
As we continue to
celebrate 40years of Evangelization in the Catholic Diocese of Machakos, we
conclude the Year of the Youth with the theme “Young people,
Christ is our Ray of hope” which will be done in Komarock
on the 6th of February 2010. We therefore invite you all for the
annual pilgrimage in Komarock. We congratulate our
youth Office and the youth for the different activities they participated in.
To those who took the 1st place in the
On this year 2010 we
shall be launching the year of the priests with the theme “You are the
salt of the Earth, You are the Light of the world..
Mt. 5:14.” Our deacons who have been preparing themselves for priestly ministry will
be ordained on this great day – the 6th of February 2010.
We urge our Christians
to continue praying for this great gift of priesthood.
I wish you all a happy
and blessed new year 2010. See you in Komarock
Shrine!
By: Rt. Rev. Martin
Kivuva Musonde
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF MACHAKOS.
Continued from
December Issue no. 77
The project
could only keep eighty-five children and some of them are HIV positive. The
children receive medical care, are provided with balanced diet and provided
with educational materials i.e school uniform, bags,
books and other stationery.
The children
gather on Saturdays for various activities and to receive a balanced diet.
Children from Schools around come daily for lunch.
C. B. H.C
.VISION:
Caring,
supporting and promoting children’s rights, for Orphan Vulnerable Children to
enjoy quality of life like others.
Mission:- Children
receive medical care, improve
educational performance, live in good health, increase their weight, feel
accepted and happy. In endeavouring to reach the vision and in
implementing the mission, the project undertakes various activities, e.g create awareness to guardians about poverty eradication
by starting small projects “The more income people have, the less vulnerable
they are to external shocks.”
To be continued
next month.
The 2009 Second
African synod took place in
Towards the end of his life the late Pope John II
on 13th Nov 2004 had announced his intention to convoke a Second
Special Assembly for
This same intention was confirmed by his successor
– our Pope Benedict XVI on the 22nd June 2005,being
one of the major decisions of his pontificate. This synod took place 15 years
after the First Assembly in 1994 and the teachings and directives of the first synodal apostolic exhortation in
LOOKING AT
We live in a world
full of contradictions and deep crises. Science and technology are making giant
strides in all aspects of life, equipping humanity with all that it takes to
make our planet a beautiful place for us all. Yet tragic situations of
refugees, abject poverty, disease and hunger are still killing thousands in a
daily basis. In all these,
The modern media often
tend to emphasize on the dark side of
It is of great
importance to know that the initiative of all reconciliation and peace comes
from God and it introduces us to peace. God is entrusting us with the message
of reconciliation and has appointed us as ambassadors for Christ, God is making
his appeal through us (2 cor 5: 17 – 20).Therefore
the church in Africa both as family and as individual faithful has the duty to
be an instrument of peace and reconciliation, after the heart of Christ, who is
our peace and reconciliation .To do this, she has to be first reconciled to
God.
This opens the way to genuine reconciliation
among persons. This helps break the vicious circle of offence, revenge and
counter attacks. True pardon promotes the justice of repentance and reparation,
leading to a peace that goes to the roots of conflict, making friends, brothers
and sisters out of former victims and enemies. God makes this kind of reconciliation
possible and so prayer and reception of sacraments is so important especially the Sacrament of Penance.
THE CHURCH IN
Despite the fact that the church in
The first important
role of the church in
To the priests:-The priest is the “necessary closest collaborator
of the Bishop”. Being the Year for Priests you are called upon to live good
lives. Your example of living together in peace across tribal and racial lines
can be a powerful witness to others. If you are able work on the basis of a
collaboratory ministry bringing on board all other segments of the parish
community:- deacons, religious, catechists, laity men and women and the youth.
Never be partisan as a leader in pastoral and evangelical ways. Your
fidelity to the priestly commitment, particularly to life of celibacy in
chastity as well as detachment from material things is an eloquent witness to
the people of God.
To the lay faithful in
To the
Catholic families:- The Synod of Bishops has
warned the Catholic families in Africa to be on guard against some virulent
ideological poisons from abroad, in the name of “modern culture” You should
continue to welcome children as a gift from God and train them in the knowledge
and fear of God to be people of reconciliation justice and peace in future.
To the women:- You are often the backbone of
the local church in many countries. In many countries the Catholic Women
Organization is a great force for the apostolate of the church .So the women
should be properly trained so that they can participate at appropriate levels
in their apostolic ministry.
Women should be fully
involved in the women’s programmes of the nation, with eyes of faith wide open.
May the Mother Mary Seat of Wisdom guide you in doing this.
To the Catholic men:- the synod calls you
to play your important roles as responsible fathers and good faithful husbands.
Follow the example of
To the youth:- you are not just the
future of the church but also be in the
forefront of future social
changes and instrument of peace. All the local churches should consider the
apostolate to the youth as a high priority.
The Synod never forgot
the little ones to whom Jesus said” Let the little children come to me for to
such belongs the
The church
acknowledges and is anxious to positively use your enthusiasm and effectiveness
as active agents of evangelization especially among peers. You shall be given
adequate space facilities and direction to organize yourselves for the
apostolate.”
To be continued next month
From: Communication
Office
|
The Lord has made His
salvation known to the whole world”
Epiphany is the climax
of the Advent/Christmas season.
Epiphany is Christian
feast celebrating the “Shining forth” or revelation of God to humankind in
human form in the person of Jesus Christ. Its observation finds its origins in
the Eastern Christian churches and included the birth of Jesus Christ the visit
of the three magi (the wisemen traditionally refered with names :Casper, Melchior
and Balthasar), who arrived in Bethlehem and all of
Jesus childhood events up to his baptism in the Jordan by John the
Baptist. After man and woman sinned, God
did not abandon them to the power of death. Therefore through His loving
providence, he determined that in the last days he would aid the world, which
was in the verge of destruction. In the persons of the Magi
(from the east) let all people adore the creator of the universe, let God be
known, not in Judea only but in the whole world so that his name may be great
in all
Epiphany is the day
prophesied by David in the Psalms that all the nations that you have brought
into being will come and fall down in adoration in your presence, Lord, and
glorify your name. Again the Lord has
made known His salvation in the sight of the nations he has revealed His
justice. All these came to be fulfilled as we know from the time when the star
beckoned the three Wise Men out of their distant country and led them to
recognize and adore the King of heaven and the earth.
May Christ the true
light of the world guide us throughout this year, in our families, Vocations,
church, villages, institutions and wherever we go. May
he drive away from us all the darkness of sin that we may live as true sons and
daughters in the light. Amen
Rev. Fr. Alfons
Muema
Diocesan Communication Secretary.
Sunday after Christmas
Sir 24:1-4 Eph. 1:3-6,
15-18; John 1:1-18
Each of the
evangelists introduces Jesus in a different way depending on his purpose and
style. While Matthew and Luke have some infancy narratives, Mark and John do
not have. For Mark’s audience, it was enough leading them through to understand
the kind of Messiah that Jesus was. John instead introduces his Gospel with the
design of a Genesis. He links Jesus with the beginning when God created the
universe and all it contains. Jesus is presented as the Word that was with God
in the beginning and through him all things were created. In verse 14, John
presents the mystery of the incarnation. God shares his divinity with the
fallen humanity. John the Baptist preaches about him. The Word is defined as a light
that cannot be overcome by darkness. It is through Jesus that we become adopted
children of God the Father because in Jesus we share his divinity. In this
reading Jesus is addressed in different imageries which are rich to be
reflected upon: he is the Word Incarnate, the Light, the Truth, the only Son of
the Father.
Baptism of Jesus
Isa 40:1-11; Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
Most of the early
Christian writers have attributed the words of the prophet Isaiah to John the
Baptist. John heralded Jesus. His mission was to call people to repentance and
consequently be baptized in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. As the
ancestors passed through the Red Sea and the wilderness, they had to pass
through the waters of
2nd Sunday of the Ordinary Time
Isa 62:1-5; 1 Cor 12:4-11; John
2:1-11
Despite of the
seemingly delayed salvation of the people of
3rd Sunday of the ordinary Time
Neh 8:2-10; 1 Cor 12:12-30; Luke
1:1-4, 4:14-21
The readings of this
Sunday remind us of the importance of tradition and the written word of God
which has been handed down through the ages. It is not until we know our
history well that we can face today with confidence. Our present is what it is,
because of what was. As one philosopher states, a healthy community keeps alive
the memory of what inspired its origins. In the first reading the Israelites
after coming from exile had the scribe Ezra read and explain the Torah. They
noticed how far they had been from the truth. For the priests and elders, it
was not a moment of mourning but of amendment. All the Lord demands is coming back to him with repentant hearts. In the Gospel
Luke presents us with a Jesus who does not start from nothing but supports his
rejection of Satan’s temptation with what is written in the Scripture. We
notice how the devil wrongly and consciously interprets the Scripture to tempt
God’s people. These readings remind us that the reader, the preacher and the
listener of God’s Word must be actively and consciously involved if the word
has to retain its intent.
4th Sunday
of the Ordinary Time
Jer 1:4-5, 17-19; 1Cor 12:1—13:13; Luke 4:21-30
These
readings underline the role of a prophet in
By Fr. Francis Maundu
JANUARY
Ist Komarock
6th Office
Re-opens
9th Youth
Mwala Deanery
13th Metropolitan
meeting
16th- 17th Kola
23rd Mutituni Confirmation
30th Kathonzweni Final pro-fession.
FEBRUARY
6th Komarock
Pilgrimage
Launching the Year of the priests
& Ordination of Priests.
13th – 14th Yathui –
Confirmation
27th-28th Mtito Andei Confirmation
After thanking the
leaders for their active participation in the church, he challenged them to
move towards self-reliance and avoid the attitude of helplessness – “the cat
style” – “miaao” !!!! RISE
UP AND WALK - with Christ we can make it.
As he celebrated mass
the following morning with them he emphasized the year of the priests and the
importance of praying for them. Mr. Cosmas Maithya, the National laity co-ordinator
who was the overall facilitator helped the leaders to come up with a plan of
action for 2010, which they shared with Bishop on the last day of the
workshop.
By: Patrick Mutungi
DIOCESAN C.M.A SECRETARY
§
Over 100 Catholic faithful received the Sacrament of Confirmation at Mlolongo Parish presided over by the Vicar General Mnsgr. Alfons Mondiu
on the 22nd of November. 2009. In Kambu Parish 550 also received the sacrament of
confirmation which was presided over by were confirmed by Our Lord Bishop
Martin Kivuva Musonde.
WISHING YOU ALL A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2010!
P.O. Box - 344 -90100 Machakos
Tel. +254-44-20484; Fax. +254-44-21308
Office
E-mail: bishopsomks@wananchi.com
Website: http/www.machakosdiocese.org