Issue
No. 99: 2011.
The Truth: Machakos Link Newsletter
An organ of communication of the
Catholic Diocese of Machakos
THAT ALL MAY BE ONE
IT IS
GOOD TO HAVE BEEN THERE- IN HOLY LAND
DIOCESAN
PMC MUSIC FESTIVALS 2011
STUDENTS
CORNER-WORDS OF WISDOM
REMARKABLE
EVENTS CORNER- HOLY SPIRIT KITHIMANI
The
Catholic Diocese of Machakos through Caritas office is distributing food to
Small Homes worth Kenya shillings 1 Million.
This
food which includes maize, beans, green grams, rice vegetable oil and fruits
will go to 18 small homes which are units for children with special needs in
Machakos and Makueni counties.
In
Makueni County we have the following small homes:- Senda, Kathonzweni, Unoa
Kikumini, Ndovea, Kaumoni, Ngiluni, Kako Wee, Kyale, Makongo and St. Patrick.
In Machakos County we have Kaloleni, Masinga,
Kithyoko, Tala and Misyani.
The
Small Homes are set within public primary schools. Through this project, over
446 children will have enough food for a period of six months.
This
project has been made possible through the kind donation of our partner
organization - Kinder Notthlfe (KNH) of
German, which works in collaboration with the Catholic Diocese of Machakos. The
food which has been procured locally will be delivered directly to the Small
Homes and is supposed to reach them by Saturday 17th September 2011.
During
the launching of the food distribution, His Lordship Rt. Rev. Martin Kivuva
Musonde appealed to other well wishers to donate food to these Small Homes.
This will help the children with special needs so that they can continue with
education without interruption during this time of food shortage. He challenged
the Head teachers in charge of these Small Homes to organize for kitchen
gardens and the planting of trees so that they will not have to always wait for
relief food.
By
Mr. Francis Kikolya.
CARITAS
MACHAKOS.
The
night of 20th August 2011 will remain fresh in the minds of the people of
Kawethei Market (which is an outstation of Kangundo Parish). On the 19th of
August the family of Mr. Richard Muneene Makau set off for a journey to Kathonzweni
to pay his last portion of dowry (ilute in the Kamba tradition). Their
journey was successful. On the following day 20th, the celebration was opened
with Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Vincent Kamende.
In
the evening at around 7pm they left Kathonzweni towards Kangundo in one matatu
and a Pick-up. They all left aafter a word of prayer, except Ruth Muneene (wife
to Richard Muneene). After Wote town, they took Itangini –Machakos Road via
Tawa.
A few
kilometres before Tawa, their joy changed to shouting and crying which shook
the villagers. The matatu lost control just a few metres to land on Waani River
drift (Kalingile) and it dropped into this Rocky River and overturned. Those
who were in the pick-up were the first to arrive at the scene, then the
villagers joined to rescue. Gloom filled the air on the Sunday of 21st August
when the reality that 23 people had lost
their lives in that tragic road accident began to sink in the minds of the
villagers. The people of Kangundo Parish could not conceal their moods as they
congregated in their various outstations for the Sunday service.
The
Father-in-Charge Kangundo Parish (Fr. Peter Musyoka Ndei) sent his assistant
Fr. Dominic Musyoki accompanied by the Chairman and the secretary of Kawethei
Market Outstation to the Hospital where the victims had been hospitalized
(Machakos & Makueni). In the evening when Father came back, he confirmed
the rumor as a reality: 23 people had lost their lives. Among them 11 were men,
11 women and one baby girl of 6 months (the granddaughter of Richard Muneene).
To
make the matter worse, out of 23 lives lost, 19 were Catholics of which the
Kawethei Market Outstation had lost 17 members (among them 6 were from one
family) and 16 people had been admitted with serious injuries. This was a big
blow to this outstation. They lost Richard Muneene (The chairman of the
development Committee), Joseph Muema his brother (treasurer of C.M.A), Dominic
Wambua (Secretary of development committee), Margaret Sila (secretary C.W.A and
also the same post to the Parish C.W.A) among others. On the following day,
Hon. Muthama called for an urgent meeting where he organized a committee headed by the D.C of Kangundo
District aided by Fr. Peter Musyoka among others to plan for the burial. A
Requiem Mass was celebrated at Kawethei Primary School by His Lordship Rt. Rev.
Martin Kivuva Musonde the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos.
On
30th August 2011, fifteen bodies were to be buried on the same day after Mass.
At 11.30 am a great silence prevailed when the fifteen bodies were brought into
stage. The bodies were received by Bishop Martin Kivuva, a few minutes later
the expected guests began to arrive one after the other. The guests were led by
the Prime Minister Hon. Raila Odinga, Hon. Muthama, Vice President and later
his excellence Mwai Kibaki the President of the Republic of Kenya and several
ministers. Bishop Martin Kivuva received the President after which he began the
Mass which was attended by over 30 Priests, 4 seminarians and Religious brothers, sisters and thousands of
Christians. In his homily the Bishop gave hope to the Family of the deceased,
he asked people to be answerable to their activities and not attribute every
evil to God because some can be prevented.
All
the speakers after Mass emphasized on the fact that traffic rules must be
followed and that the police have a duty to arrest all those who break the
"Michuki rules" Thereafter, the President accompanied the Bishop to
the family of Richard Muneene which had lost six members where the six bodies
were to be buried.
NB: we request
all to join in prayer for those who are still hospitalized and their families.
We thank the following for their tireless involvement during that week of
sorrow:
i). Hon.Muthama who saw the need for
an organizing committee
ii). Charity
Chepkonga- D.C of Kangundo (the chairperson of the organizing committee).
iii). Fr. Peter Musyoka Fr. In charge Kangundo Parish for
the tireless involvement.
iv. Pastors from
other denominations who joined the committee v).
The royal media group for their contribution
vi). The Bishop and entire Catholic Diocese of Machakos
for their contribution and prayers as well as the President, the Prime Minister
and their team.
ETERNAL
REST GRANT UNTO THEM OH LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. AMEN
BY:
SEMINARIAN -
PETER
MUEMA MUSYOKA
On
the 11th of September 2011 the Catholic Diocese of Machakos saw 25
of her faithful leave for Holy land and France.
We
praise and thank the Lord for having granted them a safe journey to the Holy
land and back to Machakos -Kenya.
The
pilgrims visited different holy sites including, the tomb of Jesus, the way of
the cross, the Palm Sunday road and Lourdes among others.
They
visited Cana in Galilee where Jesus performed the first miracle, and they had
three couples who renewed their marriage vows.
Going
into the upper room where Jesus had the last supper with his disciples and
instituted the Holy Eucharist, the priests renewed their priestly promises. In
river Jordan where Jesus was baptized, they all renewed their baptismal vows.
It
was good to follow the way of the Cross which Jesus followed.
Being
in the mountain where Jesus preached about the Beatitudes made them feel like
Jesus was preaching to them at that moment. Another beautiful moment was at the
mountain of transfiguration, when they just felt like Peter and said “ It is
good to be here but we have to go back to Kenya”!
In
Lourdes, they lit candles together with other pilgrims reciting the Holy Rosary
in different languages. Visit to St. Bernadette’s home and the grotto was an
inspiring experience. This is just a few of their experiences they did not want
to share much because they would like others to go and experience what they
experienced.
By Sr.
Bernadette Munyao
CWA/CMA
Coordinator
Catholic
Diocese of Machakos.
The name of St. Cecilia has always been most illustrious
in the church, and ever since the primitive ages is mentioned with distinction
in the canon of the mass, and in the sacramentaries and calendars of the
church. Her spouse Valerian, Tiburtius, and Maximus, an officer, who were her
companions in martyrdom, are also mentioned in the same authentic and venerable
writings. St. Cecilia was a native of Rome, of a good family, and educated in
the principles and perfect practice of the Christian religion. In her youth she
by vow consecrated her virginity to God, yet was compelled by her parents to
marry a nobleman named Valerian. Him she converted to the faith, and soon after
gained to the same his brother Tiburtius.
The men first suffered martyrdom, being beheaded for the
faith. St. Cecilia finished her glorious triumph some days after them. Their
acts, which are of very small authority, make them contemporary with Pope Urban
I, and consequently place their martyrdom about the year 230, under Alexander
Severus; others, however, place the triumph of these martyrs under Marcus
Aurelius, between the years 176 and 180. Their sacred bodies were deposited in
part of the cemetery of Calixtus, which part, from our saint, was called St.
Cecilia's cemetery. Mention is made of an ancient Church of St. Cecilia in Rome
in the fifth century, in which Pope Symmachus held a council in the year 500.
This church being fallen to decay, Pope Paschal I began
to rebuild it but was in some pain how he should find the body of the saint,
for it was thought that the Lombards had taken it away, as they had many others
from the cemeteries of Rome, when they besieged that city under King Astulphus
in 755. One Sunday, as this pope was assisting at matins as was his wont, at
St. Peter's, he fell into a slumber, in which he was advised by St. Cecilia
herself that the Lombards had in vain sought for her body, and that he should
find it and he accordingly discovered it in the cemetery called by her name,
clothed in a robe of gold tissue, with linen cloths at her feet, dipped in her
blood.
With her body was found that of Valerian, her husband;
and the pope caused them to be translated to her church in the city; as also
the bodies of Tiburtius and Maximus, martyrs, and of the popes Urban and
Lucius, which lay in the adjoining cemetery of Praetextatus, on the same Appian
road. This church of St. Cecilia is called In Trastevere, or Beyond the Tiber,
to distinguish it from two other churches in Rome which bear the name of this
saint. St. Cecilia, from her assiduity in singing the divine praises (in which,
according to her Acts, she often joined instrumental music with vocal), is
regarded as patroness of church music. The psalms, and many sacred canticles in
many other parts of the holy scripture, and the universal practice both of the
ancient Jewish and of the Christian church, recommend the religious custom of
sometimes employing a decent and grave music in sounding forth the divine
praises. By this homage of praise we join the heavenly spirits in their
uninterrupted songs of adoration, love, and praise. And by such music we
express the spiritual joy of our hearts in this heavenly function, and excite
ourselves therein to holy jubilation and devotion. Divine love and praise are
the work of the heart, without which all words or exterior signs are hypocrisy
and mockery. Yet as we are bound to consecrate to God our voices and all our
organs and faculties, and all creatures which we use, so we ought to employ
them all in magnifying his sanctity, greatness, and glory, and sometimes to
accompany our interior affections of devotion with the most expressive exterior
signs. St. Chrysostom elegantly extols the good effects of sacred music, and
shows how strongly the fire of divine love is kindled in the soul by devout
psalmody.
St. Charles Borromeo in his youth allowed himself no
other amusement but that of grave music, with a view to that of the church.
Fr. Alfons muema
Let
the Little Children come to me, Do not stop them…” The 1st Diocesan
PMC music festivals were held this year on the 12th of august 2011
at the Machakos Institute for Developmental Studies
(MIDS). We thank the following teams among
others for doing well and securing a chance to represent us in this years
metropolitan Music Festivals on 3rd December 2011 at Nairobi.
Item-Folk
Song-outstation-Machakos CBHC-Deanery-Machakos
Solo
Verse 1-St. Camillus-Machakos
Solo
Verse 2- Kyakitoo-Kilungu
Set
piece –Kalumoni -Machakos
Own
Composition –Kusyomuomo- Machakos
Choral
Verse –Kyakitoo - Kilungu
Singing
game -Machakos-Machakos denery.
Year of the Children, in Mwala
Deanery on 11th June 2011, which consisted to Mbiuni, Kabaa and
Mwala participated in formation of the Children, all three Parishes
Participated fully. There were also parents and animators who minister the PMC
programme in three Parishes. Fr. Dominic Musau who is the Chaplain of the PMC
in the Diocese closed the workshop evaluation and emphasized on letting
children participate in the Church fully. 893 PMC members were addressed and
left the place ready to take Christ to other Children in the whole world.
By Sr. Jacinta Kawinzi
PMC
Coordinator Catholic Diocese of Machakos
"The best thing for being sad,"
replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something....You
may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night
listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may
see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor
trampled in the sewers by base minds. There is only one thing for it then - to
learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which
the mind can never exhaust...and never dream of regretting."-- BY:-T. H.
White in The Once and Future King
A good deed
is never lost: he who sows courtesy reaps friendship; and he who plants
kindness gathers love.
On every
thorn, delightful wisdom grows.
In every rill a sweet instruction flows.
"My friends, love is better
than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let
us be loving, hopeful and optimistic.
And we'll change the world."
Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or
eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to
keep your mind young." - Henry Ford –
Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." –
To have succeeded in Life?
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived;
This is to have succeeded.
Fom:-
Internet Collection.
Continued
from the last Issue No. 98.
The Second
Beatitude
Blessed
are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
The
person that mourns is the one who recognizes that he is a sinner before God.
Such a person mourns over his various sins because he recognizes that not only
do his sins greatly hurt our heavenly Father, he also realizes that he is empty
of righteousness, and does not even begin to deserve salvation and the joys of
heaven. This miserable, but repentant sinner, realizes that only through the
grace of God does he have forgiveness and salvation. Jesus says such a person
is blessed, and there is no greater blessing than to receive such divine
approval. Those who are blessed in this way by God will see God and dwell with
him forever. Do you mourn for the many sins you have committed? No one mourns
unless the Holy Spirit convicts him of sin and reveals to him that he is a
violator of the laws of God. We must also realize that as believers we all have
violated God's law but only true Christians, under the conviction of the Holy
Spirit, will realistically declare that not only are they spiritually bankrupt,
but they are completely lost without Jesus Christ living in their lives. And
only Christians will declare that they are by nature enemies of God,
acknowledging that to sin means to set oneself against a holy God. The
unbeliever on the other hand feels that this is nothing but foolishness, and he
has no time for any of it. For the wicked refuse to take down such barriers to
God as pride and arrogance. Psalm 10:4 "The wicked are to proud to
seek God; God is in none of their thoughts." Thus, the mourning of
Christians referred to in this beatitude is not because of financial loss,
terminal sickness, the death of loved ones, loneliness, a divorce, or some
rejection being experienced. Christians mourn because they realize that they
have sinned against a holy God and have brought dishonor to his name. And this
dishonor of God's very name brings great mourning to the true believer. The
true believer mourns when he sins because he knows that the sin just committed
brings great pain and sorrow to God. And this mourning by the true Christian is
the kind of mourning recorded by Paul in Romans 7:24, where he says,
"What a wretched man I am!"
It is
also the kind of mourning that brings unbelievable joy and hope to the
believer. Paul wrote about this in 2 Corinthians 7:10 "For sadness
in a Godly way makes for repentance that leads to
salvation".
That's right, it is Godly mourning and sorrow that leads to repentance which
brings salvation to those experiencing it. Godly sorrow causes us to loathe,
despise, and repudiate sin, and this leads the believer to sincerely repent of
those sins. Those who experience Godly sorrow truly forsake sin and turn to the
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. What is the promise to those who mourn? They
will be comforted. Who will be comforted? Only those who mourn, meaning only
those who repent. Only those who grieve over their sins under the conviction of
the Holy Spirit and cry out to God, saying, "Woe is me! I am a sinner. I
am unclean. I have sinned against heaven and against you. I have sinned
grievously. They will be the ones who
will be comforted. Why will only such people be comforted? Because they alone
know that Jesus Christ came to seek and save that which is lost.
They alone look to the cross of Jesus Christ
and realize that Christ died for their sins. Using the prodigal son once again
as an example, it tells us in Luke 15 of this young man who became very
dissatisfied at home, and looked to the world for answers. This man left his
father's house to go to a far country to experiment and find pleasure with sin,
but soon the fun was over. He became famished, lonely, brokenhearted, and
rejected by all. But by God's grace this young man came to himself, became
sober and began to think clearly and Godly. In verse 20 of Luke 15 we see this
young man going back home. He was now a poor, wretched, miserable, naked
specimen of humanity, but he was going home to his father. He mourned and wept
as he walked, and when he reached his father, he said, "Father, I have
sinned against God and against you.
I am
not worthy to be called your son. Just make me a servant of yours at the lowest
rank, for I need to be comforted. Save me, for I am lost." How did the
father react to his son? He cried out in joy and then comforted him. The father
hugged and kissed him and gave him a fine garment to wear. He told the servants
to put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. He ordered a great
celebration with music and feasting. And when the other son questioned why the
father was doing these things, the father said he had the greatest of all
reasons: "This son of mine was dead but is now alive; he was lost
but now is found" (Luke 15:24). What awesome comfort this son now had.
To be
continued in the next Issue No. 100
27th
Sunday in the Ordinary Time
Isaiah 5.1-7;
Phil 4.6-9; Mat 21.33-43
The first reading and the Gospel present us with a
metaphor of the vineyard. Israel is likened to a vineyard that God himself
attends. In the Gospel reading, Jesus challenges Israelite leaders who pride in
the God’s election yet have not obeyed God. Just as a the owner of the vineyard
prepares, takes care of it, and prepares to harvest the fruits, so has God
chosen Israel, protected her and is ready to make her his own.
Unfortunately, the Israelites are unkind to the
tenants (prophets) send to take care of them: they beat Jeremiah, killed
Isaiah, stoned Zechariah, beheaded John the Baptist and lastly they crucified
the Christ. In all this we see the richness of the patience of God. Today, we
are the chosen people of God. He takes care of us and expects fruit from us.
Among us, some are chosen to take care of God’s
vineyard. We are called to honor our leaders and listen to their voice which of
course must be a message from God and not from their own. Persecutors may
destroy the ministers of justice but not the church of Christ: The church of
Christ continues to flourish upon the rumbles of the former church destroyed by
the enemies of the cross .
28th
Sunday of the Ordinary Time of the Year
Isaiah
25.6-10; Phil 4.12-14, 19-20; Mat 22.1-14
A
banquet is a moment of joy. God speaks to the Israelites and promises to
restore them and prepare them a great banquet. In the Gospel Christ gives the
parable of the banquet. We can compare this marriage feast with the relation
between Christ and his church.
The
Lord invites all to the banquet of the lamb. Unfortunately some turn away the
invitation. Others accept the invitation, but do not wear the garment of the
feast. To qualify for his invitation, the garment of humility and contrition of
heart is inevitable so that we may remain in the feast. God does not deal with
a crowd but with an individual.
We
have a common course and it is up to each one of us to keep the rhythm of God’s
tune. If we remain united with Jesus, God provides us with a banquet of
blessing, pardon of our sins, peace of conscience, access to his throne,
comforts of the Spirit and well grounded hope for the eternal life.
29th
Sunday of the Ordinary Time of the Year
Isaiah 45.1,
4-6; 1 Thes 1.1-5; Mat 22.15-21.
“Give
to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” The hypocritical
Pharisees and Herodians wanted to trap Jesus. In return, Jesus gives them an
answer that leaves them astounded. It is based on Divine and human wisdom. In
the Gospel of Matthew, the answers that Jesus gives to the different groups
earn him more popularity even from those who had been against him.
This
group of hypocrites sends their disciples because they wanted to disguise
themselves. Like Christ, it happens to us that the devil uses those who look
junior to us to try us.
We
should not take for granted anyone who challenges our faith. Jesus defeated
them with their own reason because he knew that they were not genuine. It is
clear for Jesus response that a temptation
perceived is half conquered, and for our greatest danger lies from snakes under
the green grass.
Gnostic approach to matters of faith leads us to a
temptation of demystifying our beliefs and practices and consequently we lose
our grip of the same.
30th
Sunday of the ordinary Time of the Year
Exodus
22.20-26; 1Thes 1.5-10; Mat 22.34-40
In the preceding episodes of the Gospel of Matthew,
different Jewish groups ask Jesus questions in order to trap him. In the
beginning of this chapter, they send the disciples of the Pharisees and
Herodians, then the Sadducees. Now Jesus faces a Pharisee who is a teacher of
the law. Their intention was not to acquire wisdom from the Lord but to try his
wisdom and consequently trap him. Jesus sums up the Law of Moses in to two:
Love of God and love of neighbor.
We cannot claim to love the God we have not seen if
we do not love a neighbor whom we have seen (1 Jn 4.20). Love here means total
self giving in affection for God and neighbor with all our emotional and
intellectual senses. We must honor and esteem all
people, and must wrong and injure none; must have a good will to all, and good
wishes for all, and, as we have opportunity, we must do good to all. The first
reading reminds us of the care we ought to respect our brothers and sisters. It
is easy to oppress the weak and deprive them their justices because of misuse
of authority and positions in life.
31st
Sunday of the ordinary Time of the Year
Mal
1:4, 8-10; 1 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 13; Matt 23:1-12
God challenges his people
because they had become very secular. They thought that they could trick God.
Despite of the fact that they had a lot of good flock, they preferred to offer
sacrifices of the lame and blemished flock. What they could not offer even to
the governor they were offering to their creator and provider. This is a
challenge to us too because sometimes we do not give God the best. We wish to
posses what is good and give the spoils to God and his people.
We should change our attitudes
and share the gifts that we have received. Paul challenges the church of
Thessalonica because they might have been thinking they were offering for the
sake of Paul. He worked for his upkeep although he had a right to use the
offering. The offering given should not be misused. Jesus in the Gospel teaches
strongly that all his disciples must learn from him and should never seek to do
their will. What does not come from the master should be at the detriment of
whoever preaches or lives it. We should not load over our brethren what would
not be heavy to us.
By Fr.
Francis Maundu
|
OCTOBER
9th- St. Joseph
Mlolongo Parish
16th- Kithangaini Parish
Confirmation
21st-23rd– Kibwezi Parish Confirmation
NOVEMBER
5th— Diocesan Collection (Muvothi)
19th– Makueni Parish-Mavindini
opening of a new Parish
24th- Mbitini
Catechists-Bikira Maria Centre
26th- Diocesan
leaders Meeting
12th-13th FCC Kiongwani
Parish -opening of a new convent
DECEMBER
3rd- Malindi
Diocese
5th- Diocesan
Priests meeting Cathedral 10:00am
7th- Diocesan
Youth day 10:00am
17th- Kaunguni new Parish opening (From Makindu
Parish)
27th- Priests/Religious Christmas meal
Remarkable events Corner News brief.
(top)
Jubilations
of “Happy feast day” and “Congratulations,” have been the common terms heard
during every year’s Pentecost Sunday.
This
year’s celebrations on the same feast day of the Pentecost Sunday have been
different events on the same day.
These
events included:-Laying of the foundation stone and blessing a convent which is
under construction in the Parish Centre compound, Launching of the Pontifical
Missionary Children( PMC), Administering the Sacrament of Confirmation for 37
catechumen, celebration of the fourth (4th) anniversary of the
Parish and celebrating the 8th Episcopate
anniversary of Bishop Martin Kivuva. Congratulations to our Lord Bishop.
By
Acolyte Alexander Kimilu.
Remarkable events Corner News brief.
(top)
P.O. Box - 344 -90100 Machakos
Tel. +254-44-20484; Fax. (044)-21308
Office
E-mail: bishopsomks@wananchi.com
Website: http/www.machakosdiocese.org
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