BJPII EVANGELIZING PARISH TEAM NATIONAL WORKSHOP

From: Ouko joachim omolo; The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
TAKE 1
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Blessed Pope John Paul II evangelizing parish team national workshop took place at Ukarimu Centre in Molo, Nakuru Diocese from August 15-18, 2013. I shall be releasing parts of the outcome of the workshop in takes, beginning with my presentations.

I presented 3 talks, one on transitional justice, second on challenges of new evangelization and third one on digital parenting.

Since one of the purposes of transitional justice is to hold the wrongdoers accountable, address the needs of victims and restore their dignity and end impunity, our challenge here was to find out whether the current government have the will to do this when most of the named wrongdoers are unfortunately big ‘fish’?

How can this government encourage people to trust each other, have faith in the law, remove or amend the laws that made it possible for wrongs to happen, guard the unity and stability of the country, promote reconciliation between groups, prevent return to violence or repeat of human rights violations?

Is the government willing to help people change negative attitudes to positive, beliefs, feeling and actions, build relationships between opposing sides and to ensure justice is done, accept truth about the past and offer apologies and forgiveness to Kenyan people?

TJRC recommends that the president offers a public apology for all the injustices and violations of human rights committed by successive governments within six months of the release of the report.

The report also recommends that the police, Kenya Defence Forces and the National Intelligence Service apologise together with the president for acts of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary and prolonged detention, torture and sexual violence.

The list of some key figures implicated in the report and the atrocities they committed include;-

1. President Uhuru Kenyatta – incitement during the Post election violence (PEV)

2. William Ruto Land Grabbing and PEV

3. Kalonzo Musyoka land grabbing

4. Daniel Arap Moi land grabbing, political assassinations

5. Mwai Kibaki land grabbing, political assassination and PEV

6. Elizabeth Ongoro incitement during the PEV

7. Najib Balala incitement during the PEV

8. Francis Nyenze land grabbing

9. Beth Mugo land grabbing

10. Mary Wambui incitement during PEV in Central

11. G G Kariuki Wagalla massacre

12. Joseph Nkaisery financed militia in operation Nyundo

13. Bethwel Kiplagat Wagalla massacre and land grabbing

14. William Ole Ntimama incitement to violence in Narrok Rift Valley

15. Joshua Kuttuny incitement during the PEV in Cherangany

16. Franklyne Bett incitement during the PEV

17. Sally Kosgei `Incitement

18. Henry Kosgey incitement

19. Stanly Githunguri incitement

20. Ramadhan Kajembe incitement

21. Nicholas Biwott land grabbing, political assassinations and incitement

22. Noah Wekesa incitement in Bungoma, and Trans Nzoia

23. Chris Obure incitement

24. Julius Sunkuli incitement

25. Norman Nyaga murder of the late Chrispin Ojiambo Mbai

26. Kalembe Ndile land grabbing

27. Omondi Anyanga incitement in Nyatike

28. Micah Cheserem land grabbing

29. Fred Kapondi financing SLDF militia in Mt. Elgon

30. John Serut Incitement

31. Grace Kaindi gave shoot to kill order during the PEV

32. David Mwiraria Wagalla massacre

On challenges facing new evangelization today, the challenge being, in this era of globalisation, how can one best safeguard African cultures, while integrating the best of what comes from outside the continent?

Do the people know how to choose what comes from the outside, or do they indiscriminately take everything offered by the mass media, particularly violence, consumerism and moral corruption?

How can a strong sense of family have a part in proper personal advancement when many parts of Africa still witness sexual discrimination against women, who are deprived of rights which are due to every human being, how can approach to new evangelization address this issue, especially where some societies still treat women like slaves?

How should the Gospel be proclaimed in an Africa marked by hatred, wars and injustices? How can we tackle the negative aspects of globalisation? How can the Church remain faithful to the Lord’s command and contribute to the promotion of reconciliation, peace and justice in Kenya?

On digital parenting my focus was on the ‘Y’ generation. These are children born between 1980 and 1994. They have always known cable television, cellular phones, pagers, answering machines, laptop computers and video games and technological advancements in real-time media and communication.

Our challenge was how cab we use social media, especially Facebook to evangelize the youth? This is given that this generation spend part of their times on social media. Again that this is the generation that view marriage sorely as an economic partnership, how can we help them change this attitude?

Common medical issues of this generation include pregnancy, single parents (mothers). Educating young people about the immediate and longer-term effects of their behavioural choices enables them to make responsible decisions and their ability to make informed choices, to fulfil their individual potential and contribute to economic development.

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

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