At Religious Profession in Kenya, Bishop Urges Nuns to “pump” Love into Their Communities

Cautioning them against temptations that come with a keen attention to the pleasures of the world, Bishop Oballa urged the women Religious to consider their response to God’s call as “radical”. 

A Religious person, he said, “like every Christian, is called to live contrary to the values of this passing world. The Religious response is radical because you take upon you and willingly the evangelical counsels, the values and lifestyle that runs contrary to what this world considers worthwhile.”

“Do not be conditioned by public opinion where things become right because everybody else thinks so,” the Kenyan Catholic Bishop, who has been at the helm of Ngong Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in April 2012 said, making reference to Paul’s letter to the Romans. 

He continued, “We are guided by the principles of the Gospel, because the call is to do that which pleases God. By our very Baptism, our minds have been transformed to be like that of Christ.”

Like Jesus Christ, Bishop Oballa said, the 10 MSE members who were going to take their vows needed to to brace for temptations.

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“There will be hardships; there will be persecutions, trials, temptations, and many crosses so long as they are not self-inflicted crosses,” he said, and encouraged the Nuns “to learn to persevere in these hardships. Whatever suffering that comes your way, do so joyfully and with hope because you are not alone.”

Making reference to the rich young man in the Gospel, who could not accept to follow Jesus because of his attachment to his wealth, the Kenyan Catholic Bishop lauded the 10 MSE members for responding to God, voluntarily accepting poverty “in this age that gives importance to wealth, to success and social standing.”

He said, “Unlike the rich man in the Bible, you will sell and renounce all you could have had and give to the poor and the needy in order to have treasure in heaven and follow Christ to whom you are espoused.”

“God is your riches and your all, thanks to the courage of faith to believe that with God lies all riches. With God, all things are possible, He will provide for you and even more abundantly when you renounce earthly wealth for the wealth that is only found in Him,” Bishop Oballa said in his September 22 homily.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.