Category Archives: Religion

THE BIG DEBATE ON CLERICAL CELIBACY

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2013

Some of our News Dispatch readers have asked me to comment on the letter

Catholic peers and MPs wrote to Pope Francis asking him to consider permitting bishops in the United Kingdom to ordain married men as priests- British Catholic legislators ask pope to relax priestly celibacy rule.

The parliamentarians, led by Rob Flello MP and Lord Alton of Liverpool argue in their letter that it is anomalous that married Anglican priests can be received into the Catholic Church and ordained as Catholic priests but married Catholic men cannot do the same.

The 21 parliamentarians from all political parties suggest that “if the celibacy rule were relaxed, there would be many others who would seek ordination bringing great gifts to the priesthood.”

I do not see this happening given that in a 2012 interview, Pope Francis (then Cardinal Bergoglio) said that he favoured maintaining priestly celibacy. He said: “In Western Catholicism, some organizations are pushing for more discussion about the issue.

For now, the discipline of celibacy stands firm. Some say, with a certain pragmatism, that we are losing manpower. If, hypothetically, Western Catholicism were to review the issue of celibacy, I think it would do so for cultural reasons (as in the East), not so much as a universal option.

“For the moment, I am in favor of maintaining celibacy, with all its pros and cons, because we have ten centuries of good experiences rather than failures. What happens is that the scandals have an immediate impact. Tradition has weight and validity.

There are many reasons, both practical and theological, why the Church insists on clerical celibacy. It is a wise practice that was gradually codified in light of centuries of accumulated knowledge and experience.

Early on, it became obvious to many bishops that a married priesthood doesn’t work and that the Church needs men who are willing to embrace a higher spiritual state. Starting with the Spanish Council of Elvira in 305, regional churches began to ask of the clergy what many priests had already spontaneously chosen.

The early Church Fathers—Tertullian, Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, and Hilary—wrote in favor of clerical celibacy, and at the end of the Dark Ages, great reforming popes like Leo IX and Gregory VII insisted that henceforth the priesthood would be celibate. This decision greatly strengthened the Church and still does so today.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote eloquently about how Mary’s virginity is really a condition of spiritual fruitfulness. At one point, the disciples ask Christ if it is “expedient not to marry?” He replies that “not all can accept this teaching; but those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born so…and there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him accept it who can” (Mt 19:10-12).

Although in Africa and elsewhere childlessness was seen as a curse, one has to sacrifice the best of him self to remain celibate for the best part of serving the people of God. The love to serve the people of God overshadows the curse.

There has always been a deep human intuition that celibacy brings great spiritual gifts, a heightened sensitivity to divine things. Even under the Old Covenant, a married priest had to observe continence while he served in the Temple—in other words, when he was acting as priest.

Moses asked that the Jews abstain from conjugal sex while he ascended Mount Sinai, and the prophet Jeremiah was forbidden by God to take a wife in order that he might fulfill his ministry.

And although the apostles and their successors had freedom of choice in this matter—at least until the fourth century—a large number of the clergy during this period did choose celibacy.

The exaltation of celibacy does not in any way denigrate marriage. Nobody can outdo Pope John Paul II in praising conjugal love. And yet, as he points out in his famous talks on the theology of the body, marriage “is only a tentative solution to the problem of a union of persons through love.”

The final solution lies only in heaven, where, as Christ explained to the Sadducees, there is no marriage. Those who live celibately are, in effect, “skipping” the sacrament in anticipation of the ultimate reality, the “Marriage of the Lamb.”

According to Catholic peers and MPs, the Church’s requirement of continence is a primary cause of the sex scandals, arguing that it is the lack of sexual outlets which drives priests into pedophilia, even though the recent scandals have little to do with pedophilia.

Concerning priests, including Fr Peter Kinyanjui, who was the parish priest at Ngewa Catholic Church in Kiambu who have left priesthood to marry, cannot be the measure that celibacy is failing.

Fr Kinyanjui has requested Pope Francis I to review the celibacy rule and allow priests to get married. Kinyanjui who practiced celibacy for 10 years got married three years ago saying he did so after realising he would not win war with nature.

“I had lived a celibate life for 10 years and at one time I realised I could no longer remain celibate or even sojourn on with the fight against nature,” says father Kinyanjui. Kinyanjui is now married to Emma Mungure-click here for further reading- Married Priest Who Views.

Father Kinyanjui says he believes this is the right way to go and urges Pope Francis to listen the cry of many other priests who would want to tie the knot. Kinyanjui also looks forward to a second wedding although he is yet to fix the day. His wife will give birth later in the year.

According to Fr Kinyanjui who lives in a rented house in Ting’ang’a in Kiambu, many other priests live in denial. “Many of them have partners but since the church doesn’t allow it, they court secretly.

Some have secret families, which I believe should not be the case. It was God’s intention for all of us to get married when he creates a man and a woman,” says Kinyanjui. His wife Emma Mungure describes her husband as a loving and caring.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

THE LAST SUPPER

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002

– – – – – – – – – –

THE LAST SUPPER BEFORE JESUS’ PASSION-DEATH AND RESURRECTION

SENT BY FR MAGNUS KOBI, AJ FROM AUSTRALIA
THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013

Jesus says “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you” (Lk. 22:15). He spoke these words at the beginning of His last supper, right before his death on the cross. And Jesus is speaking these same words to me and you again today.

Truly, the desire of Jesus had always been the same, on that very evening he wanted to be with His disciples, both the disciples of yesterday and of today including you and me. It is the last day of Jesus’ life, his last evening, and the last time he would be with his disciples. He had chosen them, cared for them, loved them and defended them.

Similar question we ask: Do we want to be with Jesus at least a little? Do we know how to give him the little companionship and affection that our hearts are capable of? If we look reality in the face we will see that Jesus has always been the one who was doing everything to be near us and to connect us to the Gospel.

As the old ancient hymn says: “Quoties querens me sedisti lassus?” (How many times Lord, did you sit down exhausted from searching for me?) This evening Jesus is lovingly binding himself to us his disciples with one burst of love.

At the table with the Twelve, Jesus took bread and gave it to them saying, “This is my Body, which is given for you.” He did the same with the cup of wine, “This is my Blood, which is poured out for you.” These are the same words we are going to repeat in this Eucharistic celebration.

Jesus becomes food for us, flesh of our flesh. The bread and wine are the food that has come down from heaven for us men and women who are pilgrims on the roads of this world. The bread and wine are medicine and sustenance for our poor lives, they heal every illness, free us from sin and they lift us up from anguish and sadness.

What is even more, they make us similar to Jesus; they help us to live as He used to live, to talk as He talked and to desire what he desired. The bread and wine also make feelings of goodness, service, affection, tenderness, love and forgiveness. They make the feelings of Jesus flow from us.

The Gospel message of the foot washing we witness today shows us what it means for Jesus to be broken bread and poured-out wine for us and for all people. At supper time Jesus gets up from the table, getting the necessary things kneels down and washes the feet of his disciples, including Judas who is about to betray him.

Peter not understanding that Jesus is not interested in the kind of dignity that the world wants asks “Lord are you going to wash my feet?” We know the answer of Jesus to him. “You will have nothing in common with me is I don’t wash you.”

For Jesus dignity is not standing straight and tall in front of his friends but kneeling before them in order to serve them. His dignity comes from loving his disciples to the end, providing humble service to them.

This is the last great teaching to them before His death on the cross. So at the end Jesus says to them and to us His current disciples on earth, “Therefore, if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

So let us start washing each other’s feet, starting with the weakest, the sick, the elderly, the poorest and the most defenceless refugees and migrants among us.

Let us start walking with our Pope Francis who takes upon himself the virtues of St. Francis of Assisi says: “Let us not be afraid of goodness, let us protect one another and the environment through genuine love and service.”

Some Easter Quotes to mull over

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From: Caroline Nderitu-Benjamin

Happy Easter!

“Could life so end, half told; its school so fail?
Soul, soul, there is a sequel to thy tale!”
– Robert Mowry Bell

“The great gift of Easter is hope … which makes us have that confidence in God, in his ultimate triumph, and in his goodness and love, which nothing can shake.”
– Basil C. Hume

“It is the hour to rend thy chains, The blossom time of souls.”
– Katherine Lee Bates

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”
– Pope John Paul II

“On Easter Day the veil between time and eternity thins to gossamer.”
– Douglas Horton

“The stars shall fade away,
The sun himself grow dim with age,
And nature sink in years;
But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth,
Unhurt amid the war of elements,
The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds.”
– Joseph Addison

“Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing.”
– Albert Laighton

“Chocolate causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behaviour by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally.

So, eat lots of chocolate!”
– Elaine Sherman

“Easter tells us that life is to be interpreted not simply in terms of things but in terms of ideals.”
– Charles M. Crowe

“There’s nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE.”
– Linda Grayson

“Forget love – I’d rather fall in chocolate!!!”
-Author Unknown

Season’s Greetings from CCL!
www.publicspeaking.co.ke

EMERGING ISSUE JUST IN

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013

Father I am one of your readers who like your News Dispatch very much. There is one question which has been bothering me so much and I would like if you can answer me-
Was it possible for Jesus to have been romantically attracted to Mary Magdalene?

Answer

If I may answer you correctly and firmly, the issue here is not whether Jesus was romantically attracted to Mary Magdalene or other women, the issue here is the fact that every normal human being is romantically attracted to the opposite sex and this is very normal human emotion.

As Jesus was fully man, it was within the realm of possibility that he experienced it just as all of us do. Scripture tells us that Jesus experienced normal human emotions such as anger (John 2:14–17), love (John 11:5), grief (John 11:32–35), and joy (Luke 10:21). He also experienced normal human desires such as hunger (Matt. 21:18), thirst (John 4:7; 19:28), and the desire for rest (John 4:6).

The only different is that Jesus did not suffer disordered romantic attraction. This is because Jesus’ mission did not include marriage to a human being—his bride is the Church (Eph. 5:25–33)—so there was no apparent purpose for him to feel romantic attraction to form a family of husband and wife.

Secondly Jesus could not be romantically attracted to or involved with a single woman for sexual purposes since his mission was focused on saving mankind. Another input here is that women loved Jesus because he cared for them unlike other priests who distanced themselves from them according to Jews customary law that required that no priest would associate with women.

On the way of the Cross Station six we see Veronica caring for Jesus as she took a cloth and began to wipe the blood and sweat from his face. She could not do much, but she offered what little help she could in appreciation for what Jesus cared for women.

The 8th Station, we see the women of Jerusalem mourn over Jesus. The women were just wondering what could happen to them when Jesus dies. Who would be closer and care for them?

Another explanation here is that despite the popularity of the DiVinci Code alleging that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married with children, the women weep because they know Jesus is about to die and leave no offspring.

This is because the two greatest values of life in ancient times were the maintenance of your ancestral land and your family; your ancestors behind you, your unborn descendants before you.

“Woe be it if your generation cuts that because you don’t have kids and all of your ancestors behind you are anticipating an unlimited eternity of descendants but that stops because you were infertile.”

Jesus loved women in their weaknesses and flaws that is why he was quick to forgive them no matter how serious the sin, showing mercy and grace instead of judgment and condemnation. In deed Jesus respected women. They discovered Jesus was one of the few men they could fully trust.

The best example here is the adulterous woman Jesus forgave. As he was teaching in the Temple in Jerusalem some scribes and Pharisees interrupted his teaching as they brought in a woman who had been taken in the very act of adultery. The man was not brought in along with the woman.

After a time of silence, Jesus stooped down and wrote with his finger on the ground. It was unlawful to write even two letters on the sabbath but writing with dust was permissible (m. shabbat 7:2; 12:5). The text includes no hint of what he wrote.

The woman’s accusers were trying to entrap Jesus, not just the woman. To them she was a worthless object to be used to “catch” Jesus on a theological legal issue.
Finally, Jesus stood up and said to the accusers, “Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone.

He stooped down once more and again wrote on the ground. In his answer Jesus did not condone adultery. He compelled her accusers to judge themselves and find themselves guilty—of this sin and/or others. No one could pass the test, and they slipped out one by one, beginning with the eldest.

The Gospels record several instances where Jesus reaches out to “unnoticeable” women, inconspicuous silent sufferers who blend into the background and are seen by others as “negligible entities destined to exist on the fringes of life.

The issue here is that people were not happy that Jesus associated with women. That is why they were not happy when Jesus chatted with Mary as Martha cooked. Luke relates the story of tension between Martha and Mary on the occasion of the visit of Jesus to their home (Lk. 10:38-42).

While Martha prepared the meal, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and “she was hearing his word. Martha became distracted and frustrated over having to serve the meal without any help from her sister.

Finally she openly shared her feelings, stood over Jesus who was either seated or reclining, and complained: “She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Jesus gently rebuked Martha for being so distracted and troubled over many things, when only one thing was necessary.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary’s choice was not a conventional one for Jewish women. She sat at the feet of Jesus and was listening to his teaching and religious instruction. Jewish women were not permitted to touch the Scriptures; they were not taught the Torah itself, although they were instructed in accordance with it for the proper regulation of their lives.

A rabbi did not instruct a woman in the Torah. Not only did Mary choose the “good part,” but Jesus related to her in a teacher-discipleship relationship. He admitted her into “the study” and commended her for her choice.

In the tradition of that day, women were excluded from the altar-oriented priestly ministry, and the exclusion encroached upon the Word-oriented ministry for women. Jesus reopened the Word-ministry for woman. Mary was at least one of his students in theology.

Jesus vindicated Mary’s rights to be her own person—to be Mary and not Martha. He showed his approval of a woman’s right to opt for the study and not be compelled to be in the kitchen. Jesus established his own priorities in declaring, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word proceeding out through the mouth of God.

Apparently, Martha and not just Mary had benefited from the study. Mary stayed in the house until Jesus called for her. When Martha went to get her, Mary came quickly fell at Jesus’ feet.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

KENYA: CLERIC DENIES CLAIMS THAT KENYA’S PRESIDENT – ELECT UHURU KENYATTA NARROWLY ESCAPED SNAKE BITE INSIDE HER WORSHIP PLACE IN THE COASTAL WON OF MOMBASA

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

A female cleric has severely criticized the media report over a highly sensational report that a highly venomous African bush-snake almost struck Kenya’s President – elect Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta when he attended the church service with other worshipers in her church.

The incident took place when the Kenyan leader went to worship at a church, which situated at the Coastal port City of Mombasa two weeks ago.

Bishop Mary Kagendo Francis of the Kisimu Cha Mwana wa Daudi church also denied that the reptile had slithered into the place of warship where Mr Kenyatta was seated and was with9n the striking distance, but it was quickly shot and killed by one of the presidential security guards after it attempted to attack the jubilee leader.

The Bishop was quoted by the Kenya News Agency {KNA]as saying she only learnt of the snake story through the media and after some enquiries, but she discovered that it was only a small green mamba snake, which was killed by a young boy using a walking stick.

Speaking in Kitui about 100 kilometers south east of Mombasa after conducting a crusade at her Mlango home, Bishop Kagendo blamed the local media for over-blowing the report thereby creating national storm out of a small incident, adding that wildlife animals are always frequenting as a garden situated outside her church.

“We have monkeys, baboons, birds and occasionally we see snakes at our place of worshipping, but we cannot resort to killing them because we embrace nature,” Bishop Kagendo said.

She said that he church attracts a huge crowd of worshippers at time forcing them into open air prayers where they do occasional interacting with wild animals is inevitable.

He Bishop also down played claims that the snake could have been sent by Mr Kenyatta’s political nemesis or the work of witchcraft was involved.

The cleric, however, vowed to take some actions against those peddled this information terming them as alarmist.

Ends

CHALLENGES FACING PRIESTS IN DEVELOPING WORLDS

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

On Holy Thursday all the priests are required to attend Chrism mass presided over by the local bishop. During the Mass the bishop will bless the oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick, and the oil of chrism.

We use the first for adult catechumens and infants, the second for anointing the sick, and the sacred oil of chrism for baptism, confirmation, the ordination of priests, and the consecration of altars.

All three are basically an olive oil; chrism spices the air with the scent of a perfume, traditionally balsam. For pastoral reasons, another vegetable oil and perfume may be used.

The mass is to be presided over by the bishop because he is the only minister in the diocese who can consecrate chrism. The bishop will then invite priests to renew the commitments they made at their ordination.

In developing worlds this day is being celebrated at the time priests are faced with lots of challenges. It means that beyond matters of doctrine, the rapid growth of the Church in the developing world means that many of the faithful are now to be found in countries where poverty is common and where human rights may be lacking because of bad governance in most developing worlds.

Poverty is caused because political leaders in developing worlds, especially in Africa fail to act in the best interest of the people, mainly because of corruption. Some instances are where multinational companies have bribed local officials and leaders end up not acting in the best interest of the people.

Because these multinational companies are so powerful and they finance politicians it makes them not to be accountable to anyone in the countries they invest in, and sometimes even in their own countries.

Africa’s political and economic failings are a proof that Africans are incapable of ruling themselves. This is due to a lack of capacity for good governance. It is one of the reasons why African nations suffer from poor administrative, inadequate judicial infrastructure and insufficient numbers of expertise.

Bad governance comes about when the people in power and those who seek power use all means to attain their goal. This includes fostering ethnic sectarianism and political repression and competition for control of the state.

As long as African political rulers and administrators are drawn from this class of predators, no amount of preaching the virtues of good governance or tuition on public administration will fundamentally alter the quality of governance.

Priests who speak against such ills are marked. Last year August Zambian authorities had to deport a Rwandese Catholic priest after he was detained for two days and questioned for preaching about poverty and justice for the poor during a Mass.
Father Viateur Banyangandora 40 years old was picked up at his residence at Lundazi parish by police at about 5 p.m., July 30, and taken to Lusaka, the Zambian capital, for questioning.

In his sermon during Sunday mass the father said that poor people were becoming poorer while the rich were getting richer, a move he said was tantamount to injustice which the Catholic Church detests. He had been preaching in Zambia since November 2006.

In a similar case, this year February, the bishops of Tanzania called on the local people to work and pray for peace after the murder of Father Evarist Mushi on the island of Zanzibar on Feb. 17. Reports indicated that the priest was killed on his way to Sunday Mass by two men on a motorcycle, who shot him in the head.

While Christians and Muslims have traditionally lived side-by-side peacefully in Tanzania, of recent various churches have been apparently set on fire by Muslim extremists and numerous priests were the targets of violence.

In San Salvador, six prominent Jesuit priests, including the rector and vice rector of El Salvador’s most prestigious university, were killed early along with two other persons at the house where they slept in the capital.

The priests were the most prominent victims of Salvadoran violence since 1980, when eight leftist politicians were gunned down by the military, three American nuns and a lay worker were shot dead and archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero was assassinated as he said mass.

Some of these priests and religious have been killed because of advocating for good governance in the countries they served. They wanted the effective exercise of power and authority by government in a manner that serves to improve the quality of life of the populous and not individuals or particular tribes.

The priests wanted political leaders who would use state power to create a society in which the full development of individuals and of their capacity to control their lives is possible.

The priests realized that as long as politics is dominated by predator elites it is difficult to see how meaningful democracy or economic development can be sustained. That is why they advocated for better governance where those in power are held accountable.

Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law.

It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.

Good governance also requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. It also requires full protection of human rights, particularly those of minorities. Impartial enforcement of laws requires an independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force.

It means to be transparent. It requires that decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner that follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided and that it is provided in easily understandable forms and media.

It means that elected leaders set institutional systems and processes that try to serve all stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe. It requires mediation of the different interests in society to reach a broad consensus in society on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be achieved.

It also requires a broad and long-term perspective on what is needed for sustainable human development and how to achieve the goals of such development which can only result from an understanding of the historical, cultural and social contexts of a given society or community.

Leaders who will ensure that a society’s well being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they have a stake in it and do not feel excluded from the mainstream of society. This requires all groups, but particularly the most vulnerable, have opportunities to improve or maintain their well being.

Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The concept of efficiency in the context of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.

Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only governmental institutions but also the private sector and civil society organizations as well as Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) must be accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders.

Some of these priests are not supported by their bishops or superiors in their endeavors. This is because some bishops think that priests who appear to be supporting revolutionary change seen as a form of social action tinged with Marxism.

Holy Thursday is also being celebrated when there are shortages of priests in many developing countries, especially in India where the shortage is now being felt, especially in some dioceses and religious congregations. Some priests have to look after a number of sub-stations and institutes. It is not always possible to have Sunday Mass in every church.

With the challenges facing the rapidly growing economy of India and the impact of globalization on Indian culture, the priest is called to serve for full human development. He has to face all present challenges and problems with the people ? the financial crisis, economic inequality, poverty, corruption, workers’ rights, unbalanced development, war, violence ? all of which touch India.

The globalized market economy that enhances individualism and competition challenges each priest to help the poor against the onslaught of such economy. The priest is challenged to love all and share resources equitably with all Indians.

Priesthood is also an adventure and a greater challenge than ever before in Brazil, the country with the largest number of Catholics. Religious practice in Brazil is often highly hybridized. Brazil’s fertility rate for example, is one of Latin America’s lowest at about 1.83 children per woman, below the level needed to keep the population stable.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

THE PASSION SUNDAY BY FR MAGNUS KOBI, AJ

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2013

NEWS JUST IN FROM AUSTRALIA

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

– – – – – – – – –

THE PASSION SUNDAY BY FR MAGNUS KOBI, AJ

Readings: Isaiah 50:4-7- Philippians 2:6-11- Luke 22:14-23:56

A principal of a prominent high school in Kampala Uganda has an old elders’ stool sitting in his office. When someone asks him about it, he said it belonged to his grandmother. She used to baby-sit with him a lot because he had poor health as a child. The old elders stool used to stay in his grandmother’s living room, only a few feet away from a crucifix that hangs on the wall above a chair.

One night his grandmother told him the story of Jesus and how he died nailed on the cross. The boy was moved by the story and that night he did not sleep well. Throughout the night he kept turning left and right thinking about Jesus nailed to the cross above the chair in the living room, of the house he was sleeping in.

Early the next morning he got up and went straight to the living room. Climbing up on the chair he took the crucifix down from the wall and laid it on the floor. And there he was trying to remove the nails out of the hands and feet of Jesus.

But he failed to remove them then he began to cry loudly. His grandmother heard him and came out of her bedroom. Seeing the crucifix on the floor and grandson crying besides it she said: “Honey what’s wrong?” “Grandma, Grandma I am trying to get Jesus out of his nails, because it is not right for him to be in his nails, it’s not right.”

His grandmother reached down, picked him up and walked over to the elders stool sat down on it and held him in her arms. Then she began to rock him. When he calm down and was quiet she said to him: “Honey, I know right now you are too young to understand why Jesus was nailed to the cross. But someday you will understand.

When the day for you to understand why Jesus was crucified comes; “The crucifix will no longer be something ugly to you. Rather it will become something beautiful, because it will remind you of how much Jesus Christ loves you.” So the principle said: “That was the morning sitting in my grandmother’s lap on the elders stool I got my first insight into the deeper meaning of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.”

This story is simply beautiful, but more importantly it is theologically sound. This is because: “It focuses not on the suffering of Jesus but on the love of Jesus that led him to suffer.” It focuses on the deeper meaning of the crucifixion as the principle said. Indeed, what is the deeper meaning?

We can summarise the deeper meaning in three simple statements.

(a)The crucifixion is a sign of Jesus’ love. It indicates how much Jesus loves us. It confirms in a very dramatic way what Jesus said often in his lifetime that: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

(b) The crucifixion is an invitation to love. It invites us to imitate Jesus in loving not only our friends but also our enemies. It invites us to love one another as Jesus loves us. It confirms what Jesus said: “Love one another as I love you.”

(C) The crucifixion is a revelation about Love.

It reminds us of something that we not always tend to forget but want to run away from that is: “That true love entails suffering.” It reminds us about what Jesus said often in his life that: “Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”

So our story of the little boy and his grandmother focuses on these important messages of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Let us today discover the limitless love of God for each person, for you and me, revealed in the crucifixion of His Beloved Son Jesus Christ.

In the old liturgy, before Vatican II, the reading of the Passion was greeted with total silence. There was no homily. Even the concluding acclamation: “This is the gospel of the Lord” was omitted. On a day like this, I sometimes feel that the most eloquent response to the word of God we have proclaimed is silence.

Even the best of homilies could be a distraction from the deep meditation in which many of us find ourselves at the end of the story of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But then also, a homily might be useful to direct and focus our meditation in the right direction. Otherwise we might be like little Johnny who was failing all his exams in the public school until his parents decided to send him to a Catholic school. At the end of the year Johnny came out on top of the class.

When his parents asked him what made him change so dramatically Johnny replied, “You see, the moment I walked into that new school and saw that guy hanging on the cross, I knew that the people here were damn serious; so I decided not to take any chances.”

The crucifix might have helped Johnny to improve his score but it is easy to see that Johnny has misread the crucifix. The man on the cross is not there to scare little boys but to show them how much he loves them.

He is not there to show them what would happen to them if they misbehaved; he is there to show them that he has already paid the penalty for their sins. He is not dying on the cross for what he has done but for what you and I have done; because he loves us. He died for us.

“He died for us:” Many of us have heard this phrase so many times that it now carries with it neither the shock of someone dying on account of what we have done nor the good news of our being delivered from death. For us to hear this message again today as for the first time, the story of a man who literally died for the misdeeds of his brother might help.

Two brothers lived together in the same apartment. The elder brother was an honest, hard-working and God-fearing man and the younger a dishonest, gun-toting substance-abusing rogue. Many a night the younger man would come back into the apartment late, drunk and with a lot of cash and the elder brother would spend hours pleading with him to mend his ways and live a decent life.

But the young man would have none of it. One night the junior brother runs into the house with a smoking gun and blood-stained clothes. “I killed a man,” he announced. In a few minutes the house was surrounded by police and the two brothers knew there was no escape. “I did not mean to kill him,” stammered the young brother, “I don’t want to die.”

By now the police were knocking at the door. The senior brother had an idea. He exchanged his clothes with the blood-stained clothes of his killer brother.

The police arrested him, tried him and condemned him to death for murder. He was killed and his junior brother lived. He died for his brother.

Can we see that this story of crime and death is basically a story of love? Similarly the story of the suffering and death of Jesus which we heard in the Passion is basically a story of love – God’s love for us. How should we respond to it? Well, how would you expect the junior brother to respond to the death of the senior brother?

We would expect him to respond with GRATITUDE. Gratitude to his generous brother should make him turn a new leaf and never go back to a life of crime. He would be a most ungrateful idiot if he should continue living the sort of life that made his brother die. Gratitude should make him keep the memory of his brother alive. No day should pass that he should not remember his brother who died for him.

Finally, if the dead brother has got a wife and children we should expect the saved brother, out of gratitude, to love and care for them. What God expects from us today is gratitude – gratitude strong enough to make us hate sin of every shade and colour; strong enough to make us translate our love of God into love of all God’s people.

KENYA: MY HOMILIY ON PALM SUNDAY

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2013

There will be no network where I will be for mass tomorrow so I have decided to send my homily in advance.

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. It commemorates the triumphal entrance of Christ into Jerusalem. Jesus chose to ride a donkey when he entered Jerusalem instead of a horse which was usually ridden by Kings. He chose the donkey to demonstrate his humility and to fulfill a prophecy in Zechariah 9:9:

“The Coming of Zion’s King Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey”.

Jesus thought of people he served dearly than himself because he practiced humility (Phil. 2:3). Jesus did not only put the well-being of others ahead of their own well-being (Phil. 2:4) but also wanted us to be ministers and servants instead of kings and princes (Matthew 20:25-28).

In other wards, what Jesus wants from us is to be servants instead of masters (Matthew 23:10-12). Jesus was not hypocrite. He always practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced.

Jesus walked on this earth with no place to lay his head, he walked on foot hundreds of miles to preach the gospel, he ate what his disciples ate, he stood in the background, did not advertise himself, he placed other interests above his own, he wrapped a towel around his waist and washed his disciples feet.

Jesus was moved with compassion when he saw crowds of people who did not know God, he was moved with compassion over the plight of an adulterous woman, a widowed bereaved woman whose only son had died, a Samaritan immoral woman, Mary a demon possessed sinful woman, a lying thieving tax collector.

Jesus lived for others, not for himself or his comfort. Many times he was interrupted by crowds on his way to prayer and he took time to give them the good news. He taught his disciples that whoever wanted to be great must be the servant of all, if anyone wanted to be first he must be the slave of all.

Though the word of God gave him the right to be supported financially and fed through his ministry, he gave up this right and worked and toiled and even helped others with his sweat. Instead of walking on a red carpet he decided to walk on palm branches placed in his path, before his arrest on Holy Thursday and Crucifixion on Good Friday.

He gave an example of two men who went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)

And when the hour came for him to dine at table with his Apostles he took the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide among you”. And he took bread, he gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, “This is my body given for you, do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:14-23).

It demonstrates that Eucharistic celebration is not only a symbol of unity but also as one people of God should divide the little things we have as a community justly. In other wards we should not allow the seeds of tribalism and nepotism to be planted in us.

When we come together to celebrate the Eucharist we express who we are as Church. The liturgy, especially the Eucharist, “is the outstanding means whereby the faithful may express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 2).

Pope John Paul II explains the Roman Catholic position regarding intercommunion in his encyclical letter on ecumenism, That All May Be One. He says that Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism (#22-23) “pointing out that the post-Reformation Communities lack that ‘fullness of unity with us which should flow from Baptism.

He observes that ‘especially because of the lack of the Sacrament of Orders they have not preserved the genuine and total reality of the Eucharistic mystery,’ even though ‘when they commemorate the Lord’s Death and Resurrection in the Holy Supper, they profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and they await his coming in glory’ (#67).

We see these seeds of tribalism and nepotism planted among early Christians (Acts 6). “In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food”.

So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. These good leaders destroyed these seeds of tribalism and nepotism what was being planted in the people.

Those who did not want these seeds of tribalism and nepotism destroyed accused Stephen of insulting other tribes and so they tried to kill him all the times he condemned leaders who only favoured their tribes and relatives when it came the time of distribution of common cake.

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law.

They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Condolence message:

On behalf of News Dispatch and my own I would like to send my condolences to the priests, Christians, religious, family and relatives of Bishop Akio Johnson Mutek, Bishop of Torit following his death at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi on Sunday night and was laid to rest on Friday March 22, 2013.

Mutek who was also my college mate at Fordham University in Bronx, New York was rushed to the hospital in Juba in Nairobi as a result of serious kidney complications. Mgr. Mutek was 55 years old and had undergone two kidney transplants in India.

Mgr. Mutek was ordained a priest on December 18, 1988, and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Torit on May 18, 1999. He was ordained a Bishop on August 15, 1999 and appointed Bishop of Torit on June 9, 2007. He worked closely with People for Peace in Africa, the organization I worked with for 13 years.

May Almighty God rest his soul into eternal peace-AMEN.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

TOUCHED BY HUMILITY OF POPE FRANCIS I

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

Pope Francis has demonstrated his humility in practice. He has chosen a modest papal ring in silver rather than gold, and one designed decades ago rather than one created specifically for him. It is here that I am touched.

“Ring”, which originally served as both a symbol of the papacy and a seal, is usually cast in gold for successors to St Peter’s chair. “The pope’s decision to renounce precious things and avoid materials such as gold is very much in keeping with his desire to emphasise the religious symbols themselves, not what they are made of.

Pope Francis is already distinguishing himself from his predecessors by shedding embellishments and calling for a “poor Church for the poor.”

It explains why Catholics and the curious flooded St. Peter’s Square to greet Pope Francis on the day of the ceremony to officially install him as pope Tuesday. It explains further why he was applauded as he issued an appeal for the protection of the weak, the poor and the world environment.

His homily touched a crowd of up to 200,000 gathered in front of the Vatican: “I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: Let us be protectors of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment.”

Pope Francis gave a new example of his preference for simplicity when the Vatican unveiled the symbols of his papacy on Monday. The pope decided to keep the coat of arms and the motto he chose when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Besides this change, Francis chose to keep his old symbols, which allude to the Holy Family and to his membership in the Jesuit order: a sun inscribed with the letters “IHS,” a star to represent the Virgin Mary and a nard flower to represent St. Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father.

There was a ripple of applause through a packed St. Peter’s Square, and tears in the eyes of the some of the faithful, as Francis spoke of humility and the need for advocacy on behalf of the poor – themes he has already established as the hallmarks of his papacy.

“Let us never forget that authentic power is service,” he said. “Only those who serve with love are able to protect, defining his idea of protection as “respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live.”

It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about. It means caring for one another in our families: Husbands and wives first protect one another, and then, as parents, they care for their children, and children themselves, in time, protect their parents.

It means building sincere friendships in which we protect one another in trust, respect, and goodness. In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Be protectors of God’s gifts!

Pope’s message is that “one should never confuse simplicity and humility with weakness.”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

KENYA: IT IS MY PROPHETIC ROLE TO ENSURE NEGATIVE ETHNICITY IS BURIED

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

Some of our readers misunderstood my homily of fifth Sunday of Lent. In fact when my niece asked me why only Kikuyu want to rule Kenya and why do they hate other tribes, particularly the Luos I tried to convince her that it is not the case, in other wards, Kikuyus do not hate Luos or other tribes, it is the political system in Kenya that exclude other tribes and make them feel they do not belong in decision making and development platforms.

My homily was based on the fact that we must work as Kenyans to kill negative ethnicity. We need to feel that all of us are Kenyans, politically and religiously- A country that all national cakes are distributed equally among 42 tribes in Kenyan, including the Ogiek community.

One of my colleagues even went as far as suggesting I should distinguish Sunday homilies are news dispatch, advising me that on Sundays I must gear my homilies towards saving souls. My colleague is still thinking in Vatican 1, the time that when Christians were in church they were souls, and only to reunite with their bodies after mass.

That is why those days we did not have toilets in church compounds because souls cannot go to toilets. Church doors were closed so that no one was allowed to come out because what you could see outside was rendered sinful.

Yet still, as a priest and prophet I will be failing in my prophetic role to condemn anything that can divide us as Kenyans. I must condemn politics based on loyalty to tribe. I must condemn it because loyalty to tribe is given much relevance than loyalty to country.

I will be failing in my role if I did not condemn political party system anchored on ethnic groupings. This type of system denies other tribes equal opportunities when it comes to development. Political system based of tribal groupings offer platforms for leaders to elaborate their development policies entrenched on the tribal sense.

Our tribalism has ascended worrying heights, especially to our children who we want to see growing up as children of one nation called Kenya. If we do not work together as Kenyans to destroy such systems then we will be perpetually embroiled in small messy tribal conflicts to the extent that the problem seems inexorable.

We must stop this cancer which has eaten deep into our social fabric, permeating every nook and cranny of our society from spreading. We must not allow our political leaders to continue compounding the problem– using ethnicity as stepping stones to their power-seeking ventures.

Tribalism cannot be vanquished by the National Commission on Integration and Cohesion alone. We need – as a people – to pivot our energy and reorient our strategy towards cohesiveness.

We must condemn tribalism because it is inimical to development. It bores retrogressive policies – much of which crippled this country for decades. We need to detribalise our politics – cease using tribe as a means to power and access to resources. The rhetoric and diplomacy will not help suppress the vice.

Like my niece Irine, the young generation have a responsibility to slain the dragon of negative ethnicity that rear its ugly head every electioneering year. It is their role to see unto it that elections in Kenya must not be based on tribal groupings to ascend to power.

We do not want to see other elections in Kenya like the recent one which have exposed and exacerbated negative ethnicity. It has left no doubt that our electoral math, maps and voting patterns are largely ethnic. Seemingly, our politics have little to do with ideology and issues but to ascend to power.

We need to stop this system in order to prevent conflict and help Kenya meet its growing economic needs. We must come together and engage in collective initiatives to rid our country of negative ethnicity.

We do not want a country where elections are stoking ethnic hatred among Kenyans. The elections cannot be said to be free, fair and peaceful if the system excludes other tribes.

We must not pretend. Negative ethnicity is a major problem in Kenya. It is a threat and a burden to our democracy and development. Children grow up imagining Kenya through tribal impulses, especially our young people who are used by some politicians to fight other tribes who are not loyal to particular system.

We need a country where the youth can develop a new vision for Kenya where everyone feels that they belong. If this is done then it will take the agility of young visionary Kenyans to slay the dragon of negative ethnicity that impedes our growth and development as a country. Until we tackle negative ethnicity that is rife in Kenya, peace and stability will be fragile.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

MY HOMILY OF FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013

Fifth Sunday of Lent is the final week prior to Easter. Today I celebrated one mass. The first reading was taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, 43:16-21. It talks of God’s promise to restore His people after they have suffered in exile.

The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians, 3:8-14, and is a warning to the Philippians about false teachers; Judaizers who would try to hang on to the old ways while at the same time claiming to be Christians.

The Judaizers taught that in order to be a Christian, you first had to be a Jew: to be circumcised and to obey all 613 Old Covenant commandments. This question, whether or not Gentile converts to Christianity must first become full and legal Jews, prompted the Council of Jerusalem.

The Gospel is from St. John, 8:1-11 and is about the woman caught in adultery. God wants to prove to us that all of us are sinners. “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

When Jesus and the woman were left alone, he looked up and said, “Woman, where are they?” Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

Specific theme for the Kenya Episcopal Conference Justice and Peace commission Lenten Campaign is the child and the family as the basic unit of society. As the second reading puts it that in Christ there should be no Jew, circumcised, or uncircumcised, in Kenya where tribalism or negative ethnicity as media refer to it nowadays is the order of the day children are faced with lots of challenges as they grow up.

Recently I was challenged by my 11 years old niece when she asked me how comes that Kikuyus do not want other tribes to lead this country, and why specially Luos. That they think they are the only tribe who matter in Kenya as if they own it. No matter how much I tried to convince her that it is not the case she insisted it is.

The question of my niece is the question other children and Kenyans ask about other tribes. It demonstrates how negative ethnicity is tearing Kenya apart. Each tribe in Kenya thinks it is the best.

This is seen specifically when a particular tribe becomes the president. It favours its own tribe mates when it comes to the appointments of key positions in the government since independent. Jomo Kenyatta favoured his tribe mates when he became the president. Daniel arap Moi did the same and now Mwai Kibaki.

This makes tribalism and nepotism to be one of the deadly cancer diseases in Kenya which will take time to heal. Children are growing seeing this and that is why they ask such challenging questions.

Children are aware that this type of bad governance has not only been the main factors hindering Kenya from achieving important development milestones, it is also affecting children emotionally.

Nepotism is the showing of favoritism for relatives or friends based upon that relationship, rather than on an objective evaluation of ability or suitability, for instance by offering employment to a relative, despite the fact that there are others who are better qualified and willing and able to perform the job.

Children need to be told clearly that such type of bad governance and leadership can no longer be entertained in modern society. This can be done in schools and churches. In Kenya this is currently being done in form two through three literature set books, Betrayal in the City, the Caucasian Chalk Circle and the River and the Source.

Betrayal in the City by Francis Imbunga tries to help students understand that power is in the hand of the people and can be used to throw away bad leaders. The play starts by cutting a clear distinction between leaders and the mass.

It opens by showing the life of Nina and Doga who mourn for their lost child, who was killed on an organised demonstration, which was focused on African dictatorship and corruption.

The play portrays Mulili an illiterate soldier who was employed and given high post because the president was his uncle. On the same scene we also meet Jere who is a faithful soldier and he adores African style of life, he and Mulili fell into a fight since they take different courses of reasoning, here Mulili represent the ruling class and its common habits of bulldozing the society.

It demonstrates how the whole country is proven rotten and how harmful speaking the truth is, we see how those dared to open their mouths and the reveal the truth face difficulties, and sometimes going to the extreme of being imprisoned for example Jusper and other prisoners.

Finally some people gather courage and plan a revolution on which now Mulili betrays the president and he realizes how bad he is. It calls for peoples powers to demonstrate against such leadership, to remove them from the office and replace them with leaders who are patriotic-leaders who consider Kenya to equally belong to other Kenyans.

On respect and protection of human life, the Caucasian Chalk Circle fits. This is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht. The play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a better mother than its natural parents.

To demonstrate that all children are equal, whether boys or girls the River and the Source by Margaret A Ogola fits. The novel tries to convince readers that a home without daughters is like a spring without a source. It kills the culture in some societies that think that only boys are valuable in the home.

It is a sweeping story following the lives of three generations of women, from Akoko, born into a traditional Luo community, to her grandchild Awiti, whose children live into the late twentieth century.

Yet still, far from being the cradle in which the life of an individual is nurtured, family can be a source of personal identity in providing the template of social norms and values that go into shaping the individual’s personality.

These values have been however challenged. This is because traditional family structure has been put under pressure from rapid social change, undergoing erosion, and is generally splitting up to such an extent that it is failing to fulfil its primary role of socialization affected by urbanization and modernization.

Today is not as easy as in the past to provide children with the same amount of care and attention they automatically receive in the extended family set-up. Urbanization and modernization directly cuts across ancestry-based residence and mutual social, spiritual, and economic co-operation.

In the modern era the family has gradually shrunk to become the nuclear family, consisting solely of parents and their children – thus denying many parents the assistance they once received from extended family support networks. As a result, many parents find it increasingly difficult to carry out all their work and family responsibilities.

Due to high cost of living children often have to devote most of their day to helping the family in its income-raising ventures. Even if they should manage to attend school, regularly, eventually, the lack of suitable clothing, footwear, or money to buy the basic school equipment and needs encourages them to drop-out voluntarily.

Yet still, marriage has gradually become the individual’s concern rather than a concern of two extended families. The divorce rate has risen sharply. The number of single parent families has increased dramatically despite the fact that for growth and development of a child’s personality, it is desirable for both parents.

More still, a child whose mother is repudiated by the father, or where life at home becomes intolerable due to threats, quarrels, even physical violence, where a father resorts to drinking heavily to drown his sorrows, or abandon his family altogether because of his inability to meet the family needs, develops psychological problems in empathy with the abandoned mother.

Many of these children end-up in the street to earn a living and to support their mother and siblings. Street-children are becoming of great concern of late. They roam the streets, offering their services as load carriers, ice water vendors, scrap metal sorters, wooden toy makers, peanut, orange and banana sellers. The boys chase cars with their wares – a risky business life.

Adolescent girls drift naturally into early marriage, unplanned teenage pregnancies/abortion, frequent childbearing and a new generation of impoverishment. Others may take up prostitution.

The issue of abandoned babies and infants is gradually becoming a problem in this country and may continue to be worse unless measures are taken to redress the fundamental factor of a supportive family system in the modern society.

We have not even talked about over 50 percent of orphaned children as a result of HIV/Aids; either from their parent(s) dying from it, or abandonment as a result of having it. HIV children need three things: Good nutrition, love, and adequate medical care.

Another big problem with our children is sexual abuse which includes the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in.

Any sexually explicit conduct or simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct; or the rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.

There is also a problem with emotional abuse, a pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

Key political risks to watch in Tanzania

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From: Abdalah Hamis

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(Reuters) – Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has said his government will not tolerate any attempts by extremists to stoke religious tension following a spate of violent attacks on clerics.

The government has said rising religious tensions pose the biggest threat to peace in East Africa’s No. 2 economy, which has enjoyed relative political stability since independence from Britain in 1961.

RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE

Two Christian leaders were violently killed in the predominantly Muslim islands of Zanzibar over the past month in separate attacks. The government has launched an investigation into the incidents and has vowed to prosecute those involved in the violence.

A separatist Islamic group in Zanzibar, Uamsho (Awakening), is pushing for the semi-autonomous island to exit from its 1964 union with mainland Tanzania, which is ruled as a secular country. Supporters of the group have engaged in running street battles with the police in the past, but authorities have not linked the group with the attacks on Christian clerics.

Rioters have also torched several churches in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial capital, in recent months, and Kikwete warned about the rising religious tension in a televised state of the nation address at the end of February.

What to watch out for:

– Will a widespread flare-up of religious tensions occur?

PIPELINE POLITICS

Tanzania wants to become a regional energy hub following major discoveries of natural gasoffshore. But residents of a gas-rich region are threatening to block a major gas pipeline project until they see a bigger share of the benefits. The government has accused opposition leaders of inciting residents of the southern region of Mtwara to reject the pipeline.

The country’s cash-strapped power utility, TANESCO, hopes the 532 km (330 mile) pipeline being constructed with a $1.2 billion Chinese loan will boost generation of cheap electricity and fix the country’s chronic energy shortages.

What to watch Out for:

– Further demonstrations against the pipeline?

– Will the unrest derail gas investments?

OIL AND GAS SEARCH

Opposition politicians and activists have been calling for a halt to the issuance of new oil and gas exploration licences until Tanzania revamps laws regulating its fast-growing energy sector. The government has unveiled a draft national gas policy and plans to have new legislation in place this year.

Tanzania has called for an international mediator to resolve a long-standing territorial dispute over Lake Malawi. Tanzania claims the shared border runs down the centre of the lake, while Malawi says the border lies at the shores of the lake.

Tanzanian officials say any significant oil or gas finds in the lake could escalate the border issue.

What to watch out for:

– Will there be a delay in issuing more exploration blocks?

– What will happen if the border dispute talks fail?

RULING PARTY RIFTS

Tanzania’s governing Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party has been split by a race to succeed Kikwete, who must step down in 2015 at the end of his second term in office.

The CCM party, in power for over 50 years, is grappling with infighting as rival politicians look to succeed the president, but the squabbles are not along religious or tribal lines. However, several senior ruling party members are jostling for the job, causing a rift in the party.

What to watch out for:

– Will divisions in the party weaken the government? (Editing by Catherine Evans)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/14/tanzania-risks-idUKRISKTZ20130314

WHY GHANAIAN CARDINAL PETER MAY NOT BE ELECTED POPE

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

If we are to go by Andrew Sullivan’s comment on Sunday’s The Chris Matthews Show that among Catholic cardinal voters are gays then automatically it means Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson may not stand a chance to be elected first black pope.

This is because of his recent comment that African priests are not homosexuals because African traditions and cultures do not allow homosexuality.

Cardinal Peter may not stand a better chance because most homosexuals need affirmation for their sexually-active ‘lifestyle’ and they need affirmation from everyone in order for them to keep their disordered life ‘normal’, a fact that Peter has denied them.

As if Sullivan’s comments are not enough, as Cardinals gather to select the next Pope, the Vatican has been found to have made a €23 million investment in an apartment block that contains “Europe’s biggest gay sauna,” Europa Multiclub according to reports in Rome and the UK Independent newspaper.

Even though the College of Cardinals must not have been pleased late Tuesday when reports circulated that the Vatican shared a block with Italy’s top gay sauna, the fact remains that it is indeed it shares the block.

The Holy See purchased a $30 million stake in the apartment block that houses the Europa Multiclub. It was also Benedict XVI’s former right hand, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone that picked the spot in 2008.

On the Vatican’s side are 18 apartments, most of which are occupied by priests, and the home of Cardinal Ivan Dias, the head of the Congregation for Evangelisation of Peoples.

On the Europa Multiclub side is fun palace “create by males for males only.” Italy’s hottest gay sauna has everything: a king turkish bath, a Finnish sauna, a waterfall whirlpool and “surprises,” to name a few amenities listed on its website.

It explains why it didn’t take long at all after Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation in late February before folks started speculating that his holiness was brought down by “a cross-dressing priest sex ring” that was detailed in a 300-page report given to Benedict on December 17, the day he reportedly decided to retire.

Reports also said that the priests implicated in the report were being blackmailed. The Vatican spokesman said at the time the report was released, “Neither the cardinals’ commission nor I will make comments to confirm or deny the things that are said about this matter.” He added that they would also not be commenting further on the report either.

Although much of what has eroded the church’s authority cannot be addressed due to its addiction to secrecy and rejection of transparency, public attention to the final chapter of Pope Benedict XVI’s reign dominated by talk of leaks and liaisons and wiretaps and dossiers has sent a signal that Roman Curia must be cleansed by all means.

The 76-year-old Cardinal Ivan Dias does not only enjoy a 12-room apartment on the first-floor of the imposing palazzo, at 2 Via Carducci, just yards from the ground floor entrance to the steamy flesh pot, he is among the cardinals electing the new pope.

According to the report there are 18 other Vatican apartments in the block, many of which house priests-an embarrassment to the Roman Catholic Church indeed.

According to the sauna’s website which promotes one of its special “bear nights”, with a video in which a rotund, hairy man strips down before changing into a priest’s outfit, “a hairy, overweight pastor of souls, is free to the music of his clergyman, remaining in a thong, because he wants to expose body and soul”.

“The primary objective is to make you appreciate the beauty and satisfaction of meeting other men in a unique and special place,” the sauna’s website says.

Ivan Dias is not only one of the cardinals to elect the pope, in fact he is one of the major papal candidate from the Indian sub-continent. He is fluent in several languages and the fact that he comes from a third world nation would speak in his favor, though.

On May, 2011, the pope, Benedict XVI accepted his resignation as the Prefect, Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, per Canon Law 354 which requires curial cardinals to resign upon reaching 75 — it being up to the pope as to when he accepts such retirements.

Cardinal Dias who had held this post since May 2006 just turned 75 on April 14, 2011. Typically it is not the norm for a retirement, especially of a curial head, to happen so quickly after the 75th birthday — most staying on till they are 77 or 78.

It was rumored that Cardinal Dias, who was created in February 2001, is experiencing health issues. He is the seventh cardinal to retire in 2011 per the 75 year Canon Law retirement age.

His retirement does not change the composition of the College since at 75 Cardinal Dias continues to be an elector. The number of cardinal electors has been reduced from 117 to 115, among them Cardinal Dias who believes that homosexuality can be cured of their “unnatural tendancies” through the Sacrement of Pennance.

Pope Benedict XVI is believed to have resigned, the first Papal resignation since 1415, after receiving the report of an investigation into events surrounding the leaking of documents by the Pope’s butler. The lengthy report is said to contain detailed evidence of factional infighting.

According to La Repubblica the cardinals were said to have uncovered an underground gay network, whose members organise sexual meetings in several venues in Rome and Vatican City, leaving them prone to blackmail.

They included a villa outside the Italian capital, a sauna in a Rome suburb, a beauty parlour in the centre, and a former university residence that was in use by a provincial Italian archbishop.”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

MY HOMILY OF FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2013

Today is Sunday March 10, 2013, the 57th of my birthday and fourth Sunday of Lent. I celebrated 2 masses today. Specific theme for Kenya Episcopal Conference Justice and Peace Commission Lenten Campaign is ‘Reconciliation’.

This Sunday is known as Laetare Sunday and is a Sunday of joy. Rejoice, Jerusalem! Be glad for her, you who love her; rejoice with her, you who mourned for her, and you will find contentment at her consoling breasts.”

The Sunday was formerly called “Laetare Sunday” since its mood and theme was one of hope and rejoicing that Easter was near. The day is important because it is the day of the second scrutiny in preparation for the baptism of adults at the Easter Vigil.

The first reading is taken from the book of Joshua, 5:9, 10-12. It recounts the celebration of the Passover in the Promised Land by Joshua and those who had sojourned with him in the desert for 40 years.

The second reading is from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians, 5: 17-21. It talks of reconciliation of mankind with God as been brought about by Christ’s death on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for all those sins, thereby reconciling men to God; through this sacrifice we became the righteousness of God.

The Gospel is from St. Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. This reading recounts the parable of the Prodigal Son, one of Jesus’ most beautiful parables. It teaches us once more that God is a kind and understanding and merciful Father.

In its introductory message, the chairman of Justice and Peace Commission, Archbishop Zachaeus Okoth of Kisumu urges Kenyans to remain peaceful even if your preference leader was not elected on March 4, 2013. That we should accept the elected leaders, and those who want change them in court should do that peacefully.

In Kenya we are yet to honour what two parties agreed to tackle four main agenda items to end the political crisis and address its underlying causes. They include immediate action to stop Violence and restore fundamental rights.

To address the humanitarian crisis, and promoting healing and reconciliation- how to overcome the political crisis and tackling long term issues by addressing the cause and effects of historical injustices and gross violations of human rights-working towards national unity, reconciliation, and healing.

This is mandated to the Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission of Kenya which has the ability to investigate, analyze, and report on what happened between 1963 and 2008 in regards to gross violations of human rights, economic crimes, illegal acquisition of public land, marginalization of communities, ethnic violence, the context in which the crimes occurred, and educate the public about its work.

Since the TJRC does not have the power to prosecute, they can recommend prosecutions, reparations for victims, institutional changes, and amnesty in exchange for truth for perpetrators who did not commit gross human rights violations.

Although in terms of justice, lack of retributive justice has been a source of concern for many Kenyans, the commission can recommend prosecutions, there has been a long standing culture of impunity in the country, which threatens to keep political leaders safe from prosecution.

It is to be pointed out here very clearly that even though recommendations for redistribution of power and resources has been a focus of the mandate, conflicts have arisen due to imbalances in power, land, and resources between ethnic groups. Unless this is resolved, we cannot talk of genuine reconciliation in Kenya.

Moreover, an accurate, complete and historical record of violations and abuses of human rights, committed between 12 December 1963 and 28 February 2008, such as

abductions, disappearances, detentions, torture, murder, massacres, extrajudicial killings, crimes of sexual nature against female victims and expropriation of property suffered by any person has not yet been resolved.

In order to resolve once for all, there is need to investigate and provide redress of crimes of sexual nature against female victims. To investigate the context, causes and circumstances under which the gross violations of human rights occurred.

To identify actors who purported to have acted on behalf of any public body responsible for the gross violations of human rights, and persons who should be prosecuted for being responsible.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

THE ROMAN CURIA AND POPE’S RESIGNATION DEBATE

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2013

Some of our News Dispatch readers wanted to know the function of the Roman Curia and whether it contributed to Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation. The Curia is a big operation. It maintains contact with all the bishops of the world, more than 3,000, in 110 countries. It oversees the hundreds of thousands of priests who care for the world’s 1.2?billion Catholics.

The Roman Curia can be loosely compared to cabinets in governments of countries supervised by Vicar General of Rome, traditionally a Cardinal, and his deputy the Vicegerent, who holds the personal title of Archbishop.

Due to corruption allegations in the Curia, last autumn Benedict ordered three trusted high-ranking cardinals to investigate the state of the Curia. This was the report that was delivered to him just weeks ago.

Although it was meant for Benedict’s ‘eyes only’ but details of a sex ring and money-laundering scams last week reached the Italian weekly Panorama. Then the daily La Repubblica ran the story.

Although the Vatican has denied that this might have led to Pope’s resignation, in the weeks following Benedict’s shock decision to resign, Italian newspapers have run many stories about a secret report prepared for the pope by three cardinals who investigated the so-called “Vatileaks” scandal last year.

Paolo Gabriele, the pope’s butler, was convicted of stealing personal papal documents and leaking them to the media. He was jailed and later pardoned by the pope.

The documents alleged corruption in the Vatican and infighting over the running of its bank, which has been at the heart of a series of scandals in past decades.

According to one unsourced report, the secret report also touched on homosexual activity by some Vatican monsignors, leaving them and the Vatican open to blackmail.

The Vatican has accused the Italian media of spreading “false and damaging” reports, condemning some as deplorable attempts to influence the cardinal electors.

But on Thursday, the day the pope resigned, the Vatican acknowledged that some parts of an Italian magazine report about wiretapping in the Vatican were true. It said “a few” phones had been tapped by magistrates investigating the leaks scandal but that the tapping was not as widespread as the magazine suggested.

The secret report on the leaks was given to Benedict, who decided to make it available only to his successor. But it is expected to be a topic of discussions at pre-conclave meetings that begin on Monday March 4, 2013.

One Vatican official said the three elderly cardinals who wrote it “will use their discernment to give any necessary guidance” to fellow cardinals without violating their pact of secrecy about its specific contents.

Apart from the scandals, the Curia has been blamed for not protecting the pope from several mishaps and bad decisions, not foreseeing negative reaction to some of his pronouncements and not giving him enough information to make the right decision.

In 2006, it failed to predict the fallout from a papal speech in which Benedict quoted a Byzantine emperor equating Islam with violence. That speech led to violent protests among Muslims around the world.

In 2009, the Curia failed to do its homework before the pope let an excommunicated traditionalist bishop, Richard Williamson, be re-admitted to the church. He was a known Holocaust denier and the episode badly damaged ties with Jews around the world.

Critics such as leading Italian Vatican expert and author Sandro Magister say Benedict put people in positions of administrative power because he knew them and felt comfortable with them rather than for their abilities.

One Vatican official said he believed the Curia “let the pope down” by not preventing many problems. In particular, some Vatican insiders criticize Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Benedict’s number two.

“Bertone will probably be remembered as one of the worst secretaries of state in history,” one official said, adding that Bertone travelled too much and did not run a tight ship.

Bertone who had no diplomatic experience when he was chosen, and was seen as alienating the monsignors of the career civil service in the Vatican, many of whom owed their allegiance and jobs to his efficient predecessor, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

La Repubblica also reported that there was a secret network of gay Vatican officials and that the group met for sexual encounters at various places including a sauna in Rome and a home outside the city.

The paper said the pope had taken the decision on 17 December that he was going to resign – the day he received a dossier compiled by three cardinals delegated to look into the so-called “Vatileaks” affair.

In March 2010, a 29-year-old chorister in St Peter’s was sacked for allegedly procuring male prostitutes, one of them a seminarian, for a papal gentleman-in-waiting who was also a senior adviser in the Curial department that oversees the church’s worldwide missionary activities.

According to La Repubblica, the dossier comprising “two volumes of almost 300 pages – bound in red” had been consigned to a safe in the papal apartments and would be delivered to the pope’s successor upon his election.

La Repubblica’s report was the latest in a string of claims that a gay network exists in the Vatican. In 2007 a senior official was suspended from the congregation, or department, for the priesthood, after he was filmed in a “sting” organised by an Italian television programme while apparently making sexual overtures to a younger man.

In 2010 a chorister was dismissed for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting. A few months later a weekly news magazine used hidden cameras to record priests visiting gay clubs and bars and having sex. Read La Repubblica for more information. Also read Vatican hit by gay sex scandal | World news | The Guardian.

This is not the first time allegations have been made on corruption and scandals in the Roman Curia. In September 1978 only a month after his election to the Papacy, Pope John Paul I was found dead in his bed room.

According to David Yallop’s book, In God’s Name proposed the theory that the pope was in “potential danger” because of corruption in the Istituto per le Opere Religiose (IOR, Institute of Religious Works, the Vatican’s most powerful financial institution, commonly known as the Vatican Bank), which owned many shares in Banco Ambrosiano. The Vatican Bank lost about a quarter of a billion dollars.

This corruption was real and is known to have involved the bank’s head, Paul Marcinkus, along with Roberto Calvi of the Banco Ambrosiano. Calvi was a member of P2, an illegal Italian Masonic lodge.

Calvi was found dead in London, after disappearing just before the corruption became public. His death was initially ruled suicide, and a second inquest – ordered by his family – then returned an “open verdict”.

One of the names believed to be on the paper was that of bishop Paul Marcinkus, who was later promoted by Pope John Paul II to Pro-President of Vatican City, making him the third most powerful person in the Vatican, after the pope and the secretary of state.

None of Yallop’s claims have thus far been acknowledged by the Vatican due to there being no proof for the conjectures, although Yallop disclosed the Masonic Lodge numbers of the Curia members who he alleged to be Freemasons in his book (it is forbidden by Church law for a Roman Catholic to be a Freemason).

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

TO ALL KENYANS LEAVING IN RWANDA (invited for prayers)

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From: AKR|Association of Kenyans Living in Rwanda

Fellow Kenyan,

Refer to email below. We need to pray for peace to prevail as we go into elections on Monday.

Carol

From: Shiroo Mbuimwe
Date: Wed, Feb 27, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Subject: TO ALL KENYANS LEAVING IN RWANDA (invited for prayers)
To: AKR Association of Kenyans in Rwanda

Hi Carol

Hope you are well. Please help me to spread the word around. Election aroma is smelling and is our prayer that this time we have a peacful election. In connection to this you are invited for half night prayers at CLA Church on 1 March 2013 FRI starting from 8.30pm – 1.00am. Please come and stand in the gap for Kenya. Kindly help me to spread the word around to all kenyans leaving in Rwanda.

You said, Ask and you will receive
Whatever you need
You said, Pray and I’ll hear from heaven
And I’ll heal your land

Let us all join hands to pray for our nation and ask God to heal our land.

Thank you for your cooparation.

Kind regards

Purity

WHAT VATICAN SAYS ABOUT POPE’S EXIT

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013

The Vatican has said that the moment the pope’s powers officially expire at 1900 GMT, the ex-pontiff will officially be known by the new title of “Roman Pontiff Emeritus” although he will still be addressed as “Your Holiness”.

He will also keep his papal name of “Benedict XVI” and will not be referred by his original name as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in more firsts for the Vatican, where the traditional system is geared towards popes dying in office.

At exactly 8 p.m. Thursday, the Swiss Guards who protect him will leave their posts and return to Rome in a symbolic act to signify that the papal chair is empty. This morning, Benedict will hold an audience with all the cardinals in Rome, including those who have traveled to mark his last public audience, and including many of the cardinal electors who will choose his replacement.

That will be his last opportunity before the conclave to express his wishes for the future of the church, and it would be a prime opportunity to tell his princes to clean up the so-called house of God.

Around 5 p.m. Thursday, Benedict will leave Vatican City for the last time as pope. He will be flown by helicopter to the pontifical summer residence in Castel Gandolfo in the Roman foothills, where he will stay until the restoration work on the Vatican City monastery where he will live is complete.

While Cardinal Keith O’Brien has rescued himself from conclave, Cardinal Roger Mahony intends to help select a new pope in Rome despite calls from some critics that he withdraws from the process in the wake of revelations about his actions in the priest sex-abuse scandal.

The day Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation almost two weeks ago, Mahony wrote on his blog that he looked forward to participating in the conclave of cardinals in Rome to elect Benedict’s successor.

That stance elicited some criticism given that last month the Los Angeles Archdiocese stripped Mahony, its former archbishop, of his public duties after it was revealed that he plotted to conceal child molestation by priests.

But Mahony indicated via Twitter on Friday that he still would be part of the sequestered papal selection process. On Saturday, a group called Catholics United delivered a petition with nearly 10,000 signatures asking that Mahony not participate in the conclave because of the abuse scandals that happened under his watch, said Chris Pumpelly, spokesman for Catholics United.

Undoubtedly, his presence in Rome will anger and disappoint many who feel he should not be performing duties there. Mahony has already been told not to perform public duties in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. However, he “remains a priest in good standing” according to the Archdiocese and he is fully permitted to participate in the papal conclave.

According to the list of cardinals to elect the new pope, the name of Cardinal O’Brien is still on even though he withdrew himself from participating. Conclave kicks off on March 4, third Sunday of Lent.

Here is a list of cardinal-electors, from oldest to youngest, eligible to vote for a pope in a conclave. Cardinals who are under age 80 when the “sede vacante” begins Feb. 28, 2013, are eligible to vote. There will be 117 cardinal-electors on that date.

1. Severino Poletto of Turin, Italy

2. Juan Sandoval Iniguez of Guadalajara, Mexico.

3. Godfried Danneels of Mechelen-Brussels.

4. Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa of Santiago de Chile.

5. Raffaele Farina, retired head of the Vatican Secret Archives and the Vatican Library.

6. Geraldo Majella Agnelo of Sao Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.

7. Joachim Meisner of Cologne, Germany.

8. Raul Vela Chiriboga of Quito, Ecuador.

9. Giovanni Battista Re, former prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

10. Dionigi Tettamanzi of Milan.

11. Francesco Monterisi, retired secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.

12. Claudio Hummes, retired prefect of the Congregation for Clergy.

13. Carlos Amigo Vallejo of Seville, Spain.

14. Paolo Sardi, a former official in the Vatican Secretariat of State.

15. Paul Josef Cordes, past president of Cor Unum.

16. Franc Rode, retired prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

17. Tarcisio Bertone, secretary of state.

18. Julius Darmaatmadja, Jakarta, Indonesia.

19. Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

20. Giovanni Lajolo, former president of the commission governing Vatican City State.

21. Antonios Naguib, Alexandria, Egypt.

22. Justin Rigali of Philadelphia.

23. Velasio De Paolis, papal delegate overseeing reform of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi.

24. Santos Abril Castello, archpriest of Basilica of St. Mary Major.

25. Jose da Cruz Policarpo, Lisbon, Portugal.

26. Roger Mahony, retired archbishop of Los Angeles.

27. Julio Terrazas Sandoval of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

28. Ivan Dias, former prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

29. Karl Lehmann of Mainz, Germany.

30. William Joseph Levada, retired prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

31. Anthony Olubunmi Okogie of Lagos, Nigeria.

32. Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal.

33. Antonio Maria Rouco Varela of Madrid.

34. Jaime Ortega Alamino of Havana.

35. Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

36. Ennio Antonelli of Florence, Italy.

37. Theodore-Adrien Sarr of Dakar, Senegal.

38. Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

39. Francis George of Chicago.

40. Audrys Juozas Backis Vilnius, Lithuania.

41. Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida, Brazil.

42. Attilio Nicora, president emeritus of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See.

43. Lluis Martinez Sistach of Barcelona, Spain.

44. Antonio Maria Veglio, president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers.

45. Paolo Romeo of Palermo, Italy.

46. Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for Interpreting Legislative Texts.

47. Keith O’Brien of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland.???

48. Manuel Monteiro de Castro, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

49. Carlo Caffarra, of Bologna, Italy.

50. Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes.

51. Edwin F. O’Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre.

52. Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland.

53. John Tong Hon of Hong Kong.

54. Sean Brady of Armagh, Northern Ireland.

55. Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kinshasa, Congo.

56. Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

57. Telesphore Toppo, of Ranchi, India.

58. Bechara Rai, Maronite patriarch.

59. Agostino Vallini, papal vicar for Rome.

60. Donald W. Wuerl of Washington.

61. Gabriel Zubeir Wako of Khartoum, Sudan.

62. Wilfrid F. Napier of Durban, South Africa.

63. George Pell of Sydney.

64. Angelo Scola of Milan.

65. Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico City.

66. Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas, Venezuela.

67. Ruben Salazar Gomez of Bogota, Colombia.

68. Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

69. Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture.

70. Andre Vingt-Trois of Paris.

71. Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

72. Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, Italy.

73. Domenico Calcagno, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See.

74. Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

75. George Alencherry of Ernakulam-Angamaly, major archbishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.

76. Dominik Duka of Prague, Czech Republic.

77. Crescenzio Sepe of Naples, Italy.

78. Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

79. Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica.

80. Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches.

81. Juan Cipriani Thorne of Lima, Peru.

82. John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria.

83. Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

84. Sean Patrick O’Malley of Boston.

85. Polycarp Pengo of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

86. Mauro Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy.

87. Jean-Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux, France.

88. Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India.

89. John Njue of Nairobi, Kenya.

90. Christoph Schonborn of Vienna.

91. Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.

92. Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

93. Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

94. Antonio Canizares Llovera, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

95. Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

96. Thomas C. Collins of Toronto.

97. Giuseppe Betori of Florence, Italy.

98. Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

99. Albert Malcom Ranjith of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

100. Raymond L. Burke, prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature.

101. Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

102. Francisco Robles Ortega of Guadalajara, Mexico.

103. Josip Bozanic of Zagreb, Croatia.

104. Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston.

105 Odilo Pedro Scherer of Sao Paulo.

106. James M. Harvey, archpriest of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

107. Kazimierz Nycz of Warsaw, Poland.

108. Timothy M. Dolan of New York.

109. Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

110. Philippe Barbarin of Lyon, France.

111. Peter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary.

112. Willem Jacobus Eijk of Utrecht, Netherlands.

113. Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, Germany.

114. Rainer Maria Woelki of Berlin.

115. Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Philippines.

116. Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, major archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

117. Walter Kasper, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT COINCIDES WITH GENERAL ELECTIONS IN KENYA

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013

March 3 will be the eve of general elections in Kenya, the third Sunday of Lent. The Kenya Episcopal Conference, Justice and Peace Commission in their Lenten campaign chose “county governance” as their specific theme.

There are 47 counties in Kenya representing the initially recognized districts and each one of them forms a county government. Every county government shall further decentralize its services and coordinate its functions in order to efficiently serve the interests of the people of Kenya at the local levels.

Better known as majimbo in Kiswahili, commonly used to refer to political devolution of power to the country’s regions, its entrenchment into the new constitution was heavily opposed by some section of religious leaders and politicians who had their own interest.

Like some religious leaders who were opposed to devolve government system in Kenya, retired President Daniel Moi spoke strongly against introduction of majimbo, saying it would divide Kenyans along tribal lines, warning he would campaign against the Proposed Constitution if it includes majimbo.

While some religious leaders backed Moi’s views, saying majimbo is likely to spark tribal animosity, in Coast Province, leaders threatened to shoot down the Proposed Constitution if it failed to provide for majimbo.

The Coast people like other marginalized ethnic communities rooted for majimbo to ensure that residents benefit from enormous resources in the region, arguing it would ensure equity and encourage economic productivity.

Historically, the coastals have been fervent proponents of majimbo, spearheaded by Ronald Gideon Ngala, Kenyan politician whose life was marked by a realistic approach to politics and by a devotion to Kenya which allowed him to place his country’s stability and growth first over his own political ambition.

Ngala co-founded Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) in 1960 when several leading politicians from marginalized communities refused to join Jomo Kenyatta’s African National Union (KANU).

KADU’s aim was to defend the interests of the so-called KAMATUSA (an acronym for Kelenjin, Maasai, Turkana and Samburu ethnic groups), against the dominance of the larger Luo and Kikuyu that comprised the majority of KANU’s membership.

Even though religious leaders and churches opposed to devolved government described the system of governance as “disastrous”, arguing that Kenya was not ready for devolve government, up to almost 95 percent Christians and other religious affiliates opted for the new constitution and entrenchment of devolve government system as opposed to their religious leaders. This was because of their bad experience with the old one.

Kenyans had suffered great deal under all regimes since independent that is why the vast majority of Christians and other religious affiliates opted to oppose their leaders this time along. They pushed for devolve government because they wanted resources closer to all Kenyans, especially the marginalized groups.

They believed that a well thought out devolution system will ensure that they will have a better access to resources as opposed to a purely centralized system which they believe will concentrate resources in Nairobi.

They also perceive that devolution will help to reserve all jobs, resources, businesses etc for the people indigenous to that particular region. To the best of the understanding, after their version of devolution also known as Majimbo is introduced, all the people who have residences, businesses, properties, jobs etc in these regions will be required to surrender the same to those indigenous to that area.

Yet there are those who argue that majimboism had been tried in 1963, it failed, and must be forgotten. It failed because the 1963 majimbo experiment was a hastily conceived, clumsily crafted and badly presented variant of federalism.

Partly because the powerful presidency of the time (as it is today) was never enthusiastic about the idea, it is why Kanu government was reluctant to adopt the system.

Majimboism is about letting Kenyans take ownership and full responsibility for the economic development of their regions by managing the planning and day-to-day management of their affairs. Majimboism is about taking the CDF concept further and truly localizing the local authorities.

The North Eastern Province, for example, may soon turn out to be the richest region in Kenya when drilling for oil and gas starts. The Coast Province is endowed with a lot of wealth and has the port facilities to generate revenue. The Central Province is already well ahead of other regions in development.

Most of Rift Valley is endowed with good agricultural land and can easily take care of the development of drier parts of the Province. The same goes for Western and Nyanza provinces. Most of these two provinces have very good agricultural land and the fishing industry can become a major income earner in the two provinces.

In addition, most parts of Eastern Province have good agricultural land whose potential can be fully tapped if irrigation is widely used. Understood in this way, Majimboism is about cutting wastes and eliminating corruption by reducing the number of pest-like middlemen.

With Majimboism for example, it will mean that there will no longer be KTDA but local Tea authorities. For example, there will be Rift Valley Tea Development Authority which will be responsible for managing the growing, processing, and export of Tea that is grown in Rift Valley within Rift Valley.

In Nyanza, there will be Nyanza Tea Development Authority which will be responsible for managing the Tea affairs within Nyanza. The same goes for Western, Eastern, and Central Provinces.

The first reading for third Sunday of Lent is taken from the book of Exodus, 3:1-8, 13-15. The reading portrays Moses as a good shepherd who is committed to tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian.

As he led the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God where an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed.

When Moses decided to go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned,” God called out to him from the bush, told him to remove the sandals from his feet, for the place where he was standing was holy ground.

God told him “I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?”

God replied, “I am who I am.” Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent to you.”

God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. “This is my name forever; thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11 says how God is merciful, God who forgives all our iniquities, heals all our ills, and redeems our life from destruction, crowns us with kindness and compassion. He secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed.

The second reading is taken from 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 – Even though all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, the rock was the Christ, yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert.

These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer.

These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.

Gospel is taken from Lk 13:1-9 –It talks of some people who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus wants people to repent: “But I tell you, if you do not repent you will all perish as they did!”

And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down.

Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

WORLD: O’BRIEN RESIGNS AS AFRICAN TIPPED FIRST BLACK POPE FACES FIRESTORM

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

News that Pope Benedict had accepted the resignation of Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the UK’s most senior Roman Catholic cleric, archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh is a big challenge to the pope who will succeed Benedict.

The African cardinal widely tipped to be the first black pope in modern history, Cardinal Peter Turkson, who comes from Ghana, has already faced a firestorm of criticism last night after he laid the blame for clerical sex abuse crises at the feet of gay priests.

Turkson told an American journalist that similar sex scandals would never convulse churches in Africa because the culture was inimical to homosexuality. ‘African traditional systems kind of protect or have protected its population against this tendency,’ he told Christiane Amanpour of CCN.

‘Because in several communities, in several cultures in Africa homosexuality or for that matter any affair between two sexes of the same kind, are not countenanced in our society,’ he continued.

As the head of a major Vatican department – the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace – Cardinal Turkson 64 is ranked as the 5/2 second favourite to take the papal crown when a Conclave of Cardinals meets next month to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, who announced his abdication last week on the grounds of ill health.

O’Brien has denied the allegations and had been expected to continue in his post as archbishop until mid-March, when he was due to retire at age 75. In the statement, O’Brien apologised to any people he had let down and said he did not want the controversy to overshadow the election of the new pope.

His unexpectedly early resignation means the cardinal will not now take part in the election of a successor to Pope Benedict. This will leave Britain unrepresented in the process as he was the only cardinal in the British Catholic churches with a vote in the conclave.

O’Brien, who missed celebrating mass at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh on Sunday, had been due to fly out to the Vatican on Tuesday for the conclave. His resignation is a heavy blow to the church and Benedict, whose papacy has been beset by repeated controversies over misconduct by clergy in Europe and the US and allegations of corruption and incompetence at the Vatican.

O’Brien has been an outspoken critic of gay rights, denouncing plans for the legalisation of same-sex marriage as “harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of those involved”. He was named bigot of the year in 2012 by the gay rights group Stonewall because of his central role in opposing gay marriage laws in Scotland.

O’Brien case was reported to the Vatican by three priests and a former priest in Scotland over allegations of inappropriate behaviour stretching back 30 years. The four, from the diocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, have complained to Nuncio Antonio Mennini, the Vatican’s ambassador to Britain, and demanded O’Brien’s immediate resignation.

The four submitted statements containing their claims to the nuncio’s office the week before Pope Benedict’s resignation on 11 February. They fear that, if O’Brien travels to the forthcoming papal conclave to elect a new pope, the church will not fully address their complaints.

The first allegation against the cardinal dates back to 1980. The complainant, who is now married, was then a 20-year-old seminarian at St Andrew’s College, Drygrange, where O’Brien was his “spiritual director”.

He was ordained, but he told the nuncio in his statement that he resigned when O’Brien was promoted to bishop. “I knew then he would always have power over me. It was assumed I left the priesthood to get married. I did not. I left to preserve my integrity.”

In a second statement, “Priest A” describes being happily settled in a parish when he claims he was visited by O’Brien and inappropriate contact between the two took place.

In a third statement, “Priest B” claims that he was starting his ministry in the 1980s when he was invited to spend a week “getting to know” O’Brien at the archbishop’s residence.

His statement alleges that he found himself dealing with what he describes as unwanted behaviour by the cardinal after a late-night drinking session. “Priest C” was a young priest the cardinal was counselling over personal problems. Priest C’s statement claims that O’Brien used night prayers as an excuse for inappropriate contact.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002

PRAYER FOR PEACEFUL AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN KENYA

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013

Today is second Sunday of Lent. My mass intentions were for peaceful and fair elections in Kenya. My first mass was at 7 am, Ngere center, second one was at 9 am, Nyangoma center, and the third and last was at 11 am, Wang’ang’a center, both under Awasi Catholic, Kisumu Catholic Archdiocese.

I traveled home ready to vote on March 4, 2013. I am a registered voter at Nyasore Primary poling station, Kabondo West assembly ward, Kabondo Kasipul constituency, Homa- Bay County.

Since independence tribalism has been used in Kenya to sentimentally gain, manipulate and misuse national office and Presidential power. That is why rowdy youth are used to cause chaos. It is used by Kenyan leaders to suppress certain tribes and communities that are considered a threat, or for other baseless, absurd, and mundane reasons.

There have been since then, unfair allocation of national resources through nepotism and corruption which has been the major factor that triggers conflict in the nation as some communities feel neglected while their counterparts enjoy enormous share of the national cake.

In return the neglected communities unleash their anger to other communities as a way of portraying their dissatisfaction with how government resources and offices are run. During 3 masses we prayed that Kenyans should elect leaders who will not make lives of innocent Kenyans lost yet again.

We prayed for leaders who will enact anti-nepotism, anti-tribalism and anti-cronyism Act of Parliament immediately the 11th Parliament commences-Leaders who will appoint Kenyans on merits and not on nepotism or favouratism.

The first reading was taken from the book of Genesis 15:5-12; 17-18. God made a Covenant or pact with Abram in which he promised to make Abram the father of a great race to which he would give the land of Canaan as their territory. The faith of Abram is praised because he believed God’s promise.

During my homilies I did mention that like Abraham we need leaders who will make covenant with God that they will serve Kenyans justly. “15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

15:2 But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 15:3 And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.”

15:4 But the word of the LORD came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” 15:5 He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

15:6 And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.15:7 Then he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.”

15:8 But he said, “O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”15:9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

15:10 He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.15:11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

15:12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.

15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates….”

The psalm of today was quite inspiring: Psalm 27-27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

27:2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh– my adversaries and foes– they shall stumble and fall.27:3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

27:4 One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

27:5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.27:6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! 27:8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek.27:9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!

27:10 If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.27:12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.

27:13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

The second reading was from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 3:17; 4:1. In the preceding verses St. Paul has been telling his converts that he has given up all earthly things for the sake of the Christian faith and promise. He admits he is far from perfect but he continues to press forward on the road to heaven.

Philippians 3:17-4:1-3:17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.3:18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.

3:19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

3:21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

The Gospel was from Luke 9: 28-36. Now about eight after these things Jesus took with him Peter, John and James, and went up to the mountain to pray. 9:28 an while he was praying the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

9:30 Suddenly the saw two men, Moses and Elijah talking to him. 9: 31 they appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 9:32 now peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, thy saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.

9:33 Jesus as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—-not knowing what he said.

9:34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.9:35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”

9:36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.9:37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him.

9:38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child.9:39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him.

9:40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”9:41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.”

9:42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

9:43a And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

Our prayers also require casting out demons-Luke 13:31-35-13:31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

13:32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.13:33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’

13:34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 13:35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'”

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002