Parishioners of Catholic Outstation in Kenya Reinitiating Inactive Members Back to Faith

Malindi, 25 September, 2021 / 10:30 PM

Members of St. Paul’s Catholic Church Ndeu, an Outstation of St. John the Evangelist Hindi Parish of Kenya’s Malindi Diocese, are visiting non-practicing Parishioners in view of bringing them back to the Catholic faith.

A Sunday, September 19 report of the Kenyan Diocese indicates that the Catholic Outstation is located in the predominantly Muslim region in one of the hardship Dioceses of the East African country.

“For a very long time our Parishioners in Ndeu have been reaching out to non-practicing Catholics in their Outstation, helping them to address challenges that resulted in their backsliding, and leading them back to the Church,” Fr. Calistus Wabwire has been quoted as saying in the news report shared with ACI Africa.

Credit: Moses M. Mpuria

Fr. Wabwire, the Parish Priest of St. John the Evangelist Hindi Parish, says that the tremendous growth in faith and participation in sacramental life among the Parishioners of Ndeu Outstation is because of the initiative by a Small Christian Community (SCC).

Fr. Wabwire adds in reference to Parishioners of the Catholic Outstation, “They have achieved so much success that they are now reaching out to lapsed Catholics in other Outstations of our Parish.”

In the report, the Chairman of Ndeu Outstation Pastoral Council, Simon Omondi, shares the strategy they employ to reach out to non-practicing Catholics to bring them back to Church and to strengthen the faith of practicing Catholics in their Outstation.

Credit: Moses M. Mpuria

Mr. Omondi says that through Catholic Men association (CMA) and Catholic Women Association (CWA), meetings are scheduled on Sunday and Thursday respectively, during which a member is visited following SCC sessions. 

He adds that members in the SCC sessions share the Word of God, discuss pastoral and social issues affecting their membership, and seek ways to address the issues discussed.

Credit: Moses M. Mpuria

Members who are visited facilitate the identification of those who have lapsed in their Catholic faith practice, Mr. Omondi further says in the September 19 report, adding that the identified individuals are visited and encouraged to return to their faith practice.

On Saturdays, two Catechists at Ndeu Outstation offer catechism classes to Parishioners to enlighten them about the Catholic faith, Mr. Omondi goes on to say, and adds, "We have two Catechists who give lessons on our faith twice, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., every Saturday. All Parishioners, and not just Catechumens, are welcomed to, and do, attend.”

Credit: Moses M. Mpuria

The report authored by Moses M. Mpuria further indicates that Parishioners of the Catholic Outstation are working on a foundation for their church building, an initiative that was spearheaded by Fr. Peter Kariuki back in 2019.

So far, the foundation and beams have been raised thanks to the bi-weekly family and SCC contributions, and the sale of goats. The church’s master plan was provided by one of the Parishioners of the Catholic Outstation.