Catholic Bishop in Kenya Calls for Parental Support in Fostering Priestly Vocation

“In some of our Parishes and missions we only have one Priest and that is not desirable since they are supposed to live as a community,” Bishop Lagho says, and adds, “Many of our Outstations miss Holy Mass on Sundays due to this situation. We are also faced with the challenge of creating new Parishes where it is thus becoming pastorally necessary because we are lacking Priests.”

Making reference St. John Paul II's Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the formation of Priests, Pastores Dabo Vobis, the Kenyan Bishop adds, “The family is truly a ‘domestic Church’, which has always offered favorable conditions for the birth of vocations.”

“Families should be the first seminary in which children can acquire an awareness of piety and prayer and love for the Church,” he emphasizes.

“All the members of the Church, without exception, have the grace and responsibility to look after vocations. The duty of fostering vocations falls on the whole Christian community,” Bishop Lagho is quoted as saying, referencing St. John Paul II.

He also makes reference to Pope emeritus Benedict XVI’s 2009 message underscoring the need for Diocese to have enough Priests because “the function of the clergy is essential and irreplaceable in announcing the Word and celebrating the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.”

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The Kenyan Bishop presided over the commissioning of 160 new CWA members from the Southern Deanery of Malindi Diocese, the August 30 report indicates.

During the August 29 commissioning event, Bishop Lagho cautioned CWA members against discrimination saying, “In your interactions, do not despise or isolate your fellow Catholic women who are yet to be commissioned into your Association.”

“Let CWA be an instrument of Evangelization, of true love of Christ; through your deeds and words, attracting other women to serve Christ and the Church the way you do,” the Bishop has been quoted as adding.

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.