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