“We must find ways”: Catholic Bishop in Kenya on Need for Self-Reliance in Episcopal Sees

The Catholic Church has dedicated the month of October to the Holy Rosary, a popular devotion during the month that starts off with the Feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus on October 1, has the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary marked on October 7, and World Mission Sunday (WMS) celebrated on the second last Sunday of October.

The month of October that finds inspiration in St. Therese of the Child Jesus, the Kenyan Catholic Bishop said, “challenges us to rise in missionary work, especially in Africa, in Kenya, and in this Archdiocese.”

“We must take steps now to establish projects that will support evangelization and ensure that the Clergy and Laity are equipped for their mission,” the Local Ordinary of Kitale Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in January 2023 said.

He encouraged the people of God in Kisumu Archdiocese to support their Local Ordinary, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, to realize self-reliance.

The October 11 Family Day was the culmination of initiatives that are, since this year, starting off in Deaneries of the Kenyan Metropolitan See, the pioneer Deanery Family Day having been held in Ojolla Deanery at Our Lady of the Assumption Barkorwa Parish on June 1.

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Archbishop Muhatia used the Family Day celebration to read out his Decree of the official launch of the Centenary Jubilee Year celebrations of Kisumu Archdiocese, that was established in 1925 – to run from 11 October 2024 to 10 October 2025.

In his homily during the October 11 event, Bishop Odonya called upon the people of God in Kisumu Archdiocese to foster altruism as they work towards the self-reliance of their Metropolitan See. 

“These projects are for the future of the Archdiocese, and for the coming generations. Let us commit ourselves to making the Church self-reliant in matters of faith, so that we may grow closer to Christ through the Eucharist,” he said during the Family Day Eucharistic celebration that Bishop John Mbinda of the Diocese of Lodwar presided over.

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