Pope Francis: The corruption of the powerful is paid by the poor

The damage of corruption, by the «economic, political or ecclesiastical corrupt" is paid by the poor. And you have to be careful because «we are all tempted by corruption» a sin that is always lurking. «The only way» to win «the sin of corruption» is «to serve others that purifies the heart».  Pope Francis continues to “insist on the theme” of corruption: has again spoken about it at Mass this morning at Casa Santa Marta - as reported by Vatican Radio - commenting on the biblical passage about Naboth who does not want to sell his vineyard to King Ahab.

Corruption is "a sin at hand, because when one has authority he feels powerful, he feels almost a God".

"In the newspapers - said the Pope - we read many times: ah, that politician who became magically rich was taken to court. He was in court, was brought into court that the head of a company that became magically rich, that is, by exploiting his workers. We talk too much of a prelate who has become rich too and left his pastoral duty to take care of his power. So - he commented - the corrupt politicians, the corrupt businessmen and corrupt clergy.  They are everywhere.  An to be truthful corruption is precisely a handy sin that falls on those who have authority over others, whether economic, political or ecclesiastical”.

  And the damage of corruption, of the corrupt - then stated Pope Bergoglio – weight on the more vulnerable. "The corruption of the powerful ends up being paid for by the poor, who because of the greed of others remain without what they need and deserve”.   In his homily, Francis noted that "we become corrupt along the way of our own safety”.   With “well-being, money, then power, vanity, pride.  And from there to beyond: even killing”.  But, the Pope asked, "who pays the corruption?”. “It is not paid - he observed – by those who bring you the bribe. No, he is an intermediary”. Actually corruption “is paid by the poor”.  Paid by hospitals without medicine, by patients without treatment, by children without education. These are the ones who pay the corruption of the powerful. And who pays the corruption of a prelate? It’s paid by children who cannot make the sign of the cross, who do not know the catechism, which are not cared for. It’s paid by the sick who are not visited, the prisoners who have no spiritual attention. The poor pay. Corruption is paid by the poor:  material pool, spiritually poor”.

 Instead, assured Francis, "the only way out of the corruption, the only way to overcome temptation, sin, corruption, is service”. Why, he said, "corruption comes from pride, arrogance, and service humiliates you:  it is “humble charity to help others”.

 "Today - he concluded - we offer the Mass for those, and there are many, who pay for this corruption, who pay the life of the corrupt. These martyrs of political corruption, of economic corruption and ecclesiastical corruption. Let’s pray for them. May the Lord bring us closer to them”.

Corruption: It is a handy sin, because when one has authority he feels powerful, almost God.(Pope Francis 16^th June 2014)

Francis' Address to Bishops' Congregation

 The Essential Mission of the Congregation

In the celebration of the ordination of a Bishop the Church gathered together, after the invocation of the Holy Spirit, asks for the present candidate to be ordained. He who presides then asks: “Do you have the mandate?” …  Echoing in this question is what the Lord did: “He called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two …” (Mark 6:7). In fact, the question could also be expressed thus: “Are you certain that his name was pronounced by the Lord? Are you certain that it was the Lord who numbered him among those called to be with Him in a singular way and to entrust to him the mission that is not his, but that was entrusted to the Lord by the Father?”

This Congregation exists to help write this mandate, which then resonates in many Churches and brings joy and hope to the Holy People of God. This Congregation exists to ensure that the name chosen has first of all been pronounced by the Lord. See the great mission entrusted to the Congregation for Bishops, its most exacting task: to identify those that the Holy Spirit Himself chooses to lead His Church.

From the lips of the Church will come in every time and in every place the question: give us a Bishop! The Holy People of God continue to speak: we need someone who looks after us from on high; we need someone who looks upon us with the breadth of the heart of God; we do not need a manager, a company administrator, and much less one who is at the level of our smallness or little pretensions. We need someone who knows how to raise himself to the height of God’s gaze above us to guide us towards Him. Only in God’s gaze is there a future for us. We need someone who, knowing the breadth of God’s field more than his own narrow garden, guarantees to us that what our hearts aspire is not a vain promise.

People go through laboriously the plain of the everyday, and are in need of being guided by someone who is capable of seeing things from on high. Therefore, we must never lose sight of the needs of the particular Churches for whom we must always provide. There does not exist a standard Pastor for all Churches. Christ knows the singularity of the Pastor that every Church requires, to respond to her needs and help her to realize her potential. Our challenge is to enter into Christ’s view, taking into account the singularity of the particular Churches.

God’s Horizon Determines the Mission of the Congregation

To choose such ministers we too need to elevate ourselves, to rise to the “upper level.” We can do no less than go up, we cannot be content with low measures. We must rise above and overcome any eventual preferences, sympathies, provenances or tendencies to arrive at God’s broad horizon and to find these bearers of His gaze from on high. We do not need men conditioned by fear from below, but Pastors endowed with parresia, capable of ensuring that in the world there is a Sacrament of unity (Constitution Lumen Gentium, 1), and therefore that humanity is not destined to abandonment and helplessness.

It is this great objective, delineated by the Spirit, which determines the way in which this generous and exacting task is carried out, for which I am immensely grateful to each one of you, beginning with the Cardinal Prefect Marc Ouellet and embracing all of you, Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops Members. I would like to address a special word of gratitude, for the generosity of their work, to the Officials of the Dicastery, who silently and patiently contribute to the success of the service of providing the Church with Pastors of which she is in need.

In approving the appointment of each Bishop, I would like to be able to feel the authority of your discernment and the greatness of the horizons according to which you arrive at your counsel. Therefore, the spirit that presides over your work cannot be other than that humble, silent and laborious process carried out by the light that comes from above. Professionalism, service and holiness of life: if we turn away from these three virtues we fall from the greatness to which we are called.

The Apostolic Church as Wellspring

Where, then, can we find this light? The height of the Church is always found in the depths of her foundations. In the Apostolic Church there is what is high and profound. The future of the Church always lives in her origins.

Therefore, Iinvite you to remember and to “visit” the Apostolic Church to seek there some criteria. We know that the College of Bishops, which the Bishops enter by the Sacrament, succeeds the Apostolic College. The world needs to know that this sequence is uninterrupted.  At least in the Church, this link with the divine arche has not been broken. People already know through suffering the experience of the many ruptures: they need to find that there remains in the Church the grace of her origins.

The Bishop as Witness of the Risen Christ

Let us consider, therefore, the moment in which the Apostolic Church must recompose the College of the Twelve after the betrayal of Judas. Without the Twelve, the fullness of the Spirit cannot descend. We must find a successor among those who have followed from the beginning the journey of Jesus and who now can be, “along with the Twelve,” a “witness of the Resurrection” (cf. Acts 1:21-22.) We must choose from the followers of Jesus those who will be witnesses of the Risen Christ.

From here derives the essential criterion to sketch the face of the Bishops we wish to have. Who is a witness of the Risen Christ? It is he who has followed Jesus from the beginning and is constituted with the Apostles a witness of his Resurrection. Also for us, this is the unifying criterion: the Bishop is he who is able to make current all that befell Jesus and above all, who knows, along with the Church, how to bear witness to His Resurrection. The Bishop is first of all a martyr of the Risen One. Not an isolated witness, but together with the Church. His life and his ministry must render the Resurrection credible. Uniting himself to Christ on the cross of the true giving of himself, he makes flow for the Church herself the life that does not die.  The courage to die, the generosity of offering his own life and of consuming himself for the flock is inscribed in the DNA of the Episcopate. I would like to emphasize that renouncement and sacrifice is inherent in the episcopal mission. The Episcopate is not for oneself, it is for the Church, for the flock, for others, especially for those who according to the world should be excluded.

Therefore, to identify a Bishop, it is not necessary to list his human, intellectual, cultural or even pastoral skills. The profile of a Bishop is not the algebraic sum of his virtues. Certainly there is a need for someone who excels; whose human integrity ensures a capacity for healthy, balanced relationships, so as not to project his shortcomings onto others and to become a destabilizing factor; his Christian solidity is essential to promote fraternity and communion; his upright behavior attests to the lofty measure of the disciples of the Lord; his cultural preparation must enable him to enter into dialogue with men and their cultures; his orthodoxy and faithfulness to the complete Truth held by the Church makes him a pillar and a point of reference; his interior and exterior discipline enables him to be self-possessed and opens room for the welcome and guidance of others; his capacity to govern with paternal firmness ensures confidence in the authority which helps to grow; his transparency and detachment when managing community assets must confer authority and merit the esteem of all.

All these indispensable skills must be, however, in support of his central witness to the Risen Christ, and must be subordinate to this central commitment. It is the Spirit of the Risen Christ that makes his witnesses, that integrates and elevates the qualities and the values that edify the Bishop.

5.     The Sovereignty of God, Responsible for the Decision

Let us return to the apostolic text. After the tiring task of discernment, the Apostles pray: “Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these  … thou hast chosen” (Acts 1:24) and “they cast lots” (Acts 1:26). We learn the climate of our work and the true Author of our choices. We cannot elude that “show us, Lord.” It is always indispensable to ensure the sovereignty of God. The decisions cannot be conditioned by our claims for any groups, cliques or hegemonies. To guarantee this sovereignty two attitudes are fundamental: conscience before God, and collegiality. And this guarantees.

From the first steps of our complex work (from the Nunciatures to the work of the Officials, Members and Superiors), these two attitudes are indispensable: the conscience before God and the collegial commitment. Not discretion, but the discernment of all. No one can have everything on hand; each person must humbly and honestly add his tile to a mosaic which belongs to God. Such a fundamental vision drives us to abandon the small coasting of our boats to follow the route of the great ship of the Church of God, her universal horizon of salvation, her firm compass in the Word and in the Ministry, the certainty of the breath of the Spirit that pushes her and the safety of the port that awaits her.

6.     “Kerygmatic” Bishops

Acts 6:1-7 teaches another criterion: the Apostles impose their hand upon those who must serve the tables because they cannot “give up preaching the Word of God.” Since faith comes from proclamation we need kerygmatic Bishops, men who render accessible that “for you” of which Saint Paul speaks. Men who are guardians of doctrine, not so as to measure how far the world is from doctrinal truth, but in order to fascinate the world, to enchant it with the beauty of love, with the freedom offered by the Gospel. The Church does not need apologists for her causes or crusades for her battles, but humble and trusting sowers of the truth, who know that it is always given to them anew and trust in its power; men who are patient because they know that the darnel will never fill the field. The human heart is made for the seed; it was the enemy who in a hidden way flung the bad seed. The time of the darnel, however, is already irrevocably fixed.

I would like to underline this well: patient men! They say that Cardinal Siri used to repeat: “Five are the virtues of a Bishop: first patience, second patience, third patience, fourth patience and last patience with those who invite us to have patience.” Hence it is necessary to commit oneself to the preparation of the earth, to the abundance of the sowing. To act like confident sowers, avoiding the fear of the one who deludes himself that the harvest depends only on himself, or the desperate attitude of the schoolboys who, having neglected to do the tasks, cry out that now there is nothing more to do.

7.     Praying Bishops

The same text of Acts 6:1-7 refers to prayer as one of two essential tasks of the Bishop:

“Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word” (vv. 3-4). I have spoken of kerygmatic Bishops: now I will move on to the other trait typical of the Bishop: he must be a man of prayer, The same parrhesia he must have in the proclamation of the Word, must be present in his prayer, in speaking with God our Lord of the good of his people, the salvation of his people. Courageous in the prayer of intercession as Abraham, who negotiated with God the salvation of that people (cf. Genesis 18:22-23); as Moses when he felt impotent to lead the people (Numbers 11:10-15), when the Lord was annoyed with His people (cf. Numbers 14:10-19), or when He tells him that he is about to destroy the people and promises him to make him the head of another people. The courage to say no, I do not negotiate my people, before Him! (cf. Exodus 32:11-14.30-32). A man who does not have the courage to argue with God on behalf of his people cannot be a Bishop – I say this from my heart, I am convinced of it -- nor can he who is unable to assume the mission of guiding the people of God to where He, the Lord, indicates (cf. Exodus 32:33-34).

And this also applies to apostolic patience: the same hypomone which he must exercise in the preaching of the Word (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:4) he must have in his prayer. The Bishop must be able to go with patience before God, looking and letting himself be looked at, seeking and letting himself be sought, finding and letting himself be found, patiently before the Lord. Many times falling asleep before the Lord, but this is good, it does good!

In prayer parrhesia and hypomone forge the heart of the Bishop and accompany him in the parrhesia and in the hypomone that he must have in the proclamation of the Word in the kerygma. I understand this when I read verse 4 of chapter 6 of the Acts of the Apostles.

8.     Bishop-Pastors

In the words I addressed to the Papal Representatives, I sketched the profile of candidates to the Episcopate thus: May Bishops be shepherds, close to the people; “fathers and brothers, may they be gentle, patient, merciful; may they love poverty, interior poverty, as freedom for the Lord, and exterior poverty, as well as simplicity and a modest lifestyle; may they not have the mindset of ‘princes.’” Be careful that they are not ambitious, that they are not in quest of the Episcopate, that they are espoused to the Church, without constantly seeking another; this is called adultery. May they be overseers of the flock that has been entrusted to them, to take care of everything that is needed to keep it united; ... capable of ‘watching over the flock” (June 21, 2013). I wish to emphasize again that the Church needs genuine Pastors. Look at the testament of the Apostle Paul (cf. Acts 20:17-38). It is the only address pronounced by the Apostle in the Book of the Acts that is directed to Christians. He does not speak to his Pharisee adversaries, or to the wise Greeks, but to his own. He speaks directly to us. He commits the pastors of the Church “to the Word of grace that has the power to build you up and give you an inheritance.” Therefore, not masters of the Word, but committed to it, servants of the Word. Only in this way is it possible to edify and obtain the inheritance of the Saints. To those who are plagued with questions about their legacy: ‘What is the legacy of a Bishop, gold or silver?’ Paul answers, ‘Holiness.’ The Church remains when God’s holiness spreads to her members. When from the depth of her heart, which is the Most Holy Trinity, this holiness gushes and reaches the whole Body. It is necessary that the anointing from on high run down to the hem of the mantle. A Bishop can never give up the anxiety for the oil of the Spirit of holiness to reach the last strip of the garment of his Church.

Vatican Council II states that the ‘pastoral office or the habitual and daily care of their sheep is entrusted’ completely to Bishops’ (Lumen Gentium, 27). We should reflect longer on these two qualifications of the care of the flock: habitual and daily. In our times, regularity and the everyday are often associated with routine and boredom. Therefore we often try to escape to a permanent “elsewhere.” This is a temptation of Pastors, of all Pastors. Spiritual fathers should explain this well, so that we understand it and do not fall. Unfortunately even in the Church we are not exempt from this risk. Therefore it is important to confirm that the mission of the Bishop exacts the habitual and daily. I think that in this time of meetings and congresses the decree of the Council of Trent is very current, and it would be good for the Congregation for Bishops to write something about this. The flock needs to find a place in the heart of its Pastor. If this is not solidly anchored in himself, in Christ and His Church, the Bishop will continually be at the mercy of the waves, in search of ephemeral compensations, and will offer no shelter to his flock.

Conclusion

At the end of these words, I wonder: where can we find such men? It is not easy. Are there any? How should they be selected? I think of the prophet Samuel in search of Saul’s successor (cf. 1 Samuel 16:11-13), who asks the elderly Jesse: “Are all your sons here?” and, hearing that little David was outside in the field grazing the sheep, demands ‘Send for him.’ We too must search among the fields of the Church for men to present to the Lord, in order that He say: “Arise, anoint him; for this is he!” I am sure that they are there, since the Lord does not abandon his Church. Perhaps we are not seeking well enough in the fields. Perhaps we need to heed Samuel’s warning: “We will not sit down till he comes here.” I would like this Congregation to live in this state of holy restlessness.

[Original text: Italian]

Dear Beloved + Daniel,
 
I am extremely grateful to your love and extended care towards me.  It is a blessing to be in the fellowship with you.  Your ministry and life style is beyond comparision.  I am honoured to be in your good books of communion.  I always desired to be consecreted in the line of Pope Paul VI who was a scalfolding to Vactian Coucil II. Which you have.  Hope one day I will be able to meet you in person to kiss your hands. Keep in touch.
 
Yours Fraternally,
 
The Most Rev. Dr.Andrew Sagayam,D.D.,
Bishop Ordinary
Anglo-Catholic Church of India -
Holy Catholic Church International
507 Craigie Avenue
Richmond, Virginia 23222-3016
United States of America
Ph.: 804.335.1578 (H), 804.665.4491 (C) 804.858.4322 (VM)

Christmas Greetings 2013 From Bishop Kasomo Daniel

  Once again, my brother priests, deacons seminarians and People of God, I want to wish everyone a blessed and joyous Christmas.  Amid all the hustle and bustle of bargain hunting, travel, preparations, gatherings, feasting, wrapping and unwrapping, it is my hope that each of us may find time to ponder the true peace and lasting joy that only the presence of the sacred can bring to our lives, relationships and world. 

We in the Society of St.Peter and Paul (SSPP) want to join our partners and friends in celebrating these big festivals. God has blessed us so much in 2013. He has opened to us a lot of possibilities and opportunities. He has done more for us than what we have offered Him through our service and prayers. He is really done with each one of us this year! He carries forward nothing to the coming year as a debt we have to pay Him. He dealt with you and me and attended to our needs not on annual basis but as we had presented them before Him from time to time. God is good to us!

 Our thoughts and sympathies this year at Christmastime are especially with those for whom this season brings a huge burden of worry on account of their economic situation. We are aware of and most grateful for the magnificent support which many households experience through the generous work of members of the Society of St. Peter and Paul (SSPP).

 Reason tells us all that sacrifices will have to be made by our people over the next few years. We should tell our political leaders that any concessions that are possible ought to be directed towards the weak, the poorer and the most vulnerable members of our society. The better off and the strong will have to carry the heavier share of these sacrifices. This will require generosity on their part as well as wisdom and courage on the part of political leaders. False promises have a habit of catching up on us and civil unrest and protest have a habit of leading to destruction of property, unnecessary security costs, personal injuries and worse.

 If we are willing to acknowledge the destructive capacity of all forms of greed on the human spirit, and to simplify our needs and our manner of living, we could begin a process of transformation in our country. The saviour whose birth we celebrate at this time has offered us a recipe for happiness. It involves primarily giving rather than taking and storing all we can get. The recipe also involves the pursuit of a range of human values from humility, gentleness and kindness to respect for property, good name, parents and our source of life.

 The message which Jesus Christ left us is our wish for all people this and every Christmas – that you may have life and have it to the full! To make the sacrifices, which help us to share this life with all, is to begin to create the conditions for establishing the kingdom of God on earth as in heaven. When we all share more equally the wealth created by the earth and our mutual talents, we can live together more peacefully, more justly and more lovingly.

May his kingdom come!   

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2014

 Sincerely Yours in Christ

Rt.Rev.Prof.Kasomo Daniel

The Bishop of The Society of St.Peter and Paul (SSPP)       

Pope Francis on My Book! from Adam DeVille

 Dear Brothers in the Episcopate,  

1 November 2013: Solemnity of All Saints

Pope Francis, encouraging ‘the lost sheep’ to return to Jesus, said, “there is no sin or crime of any kind that can erase from the mind or heart of God even one of the children he has created”

Gerard O'connell
Vatican City 3^rd November 2013

“There is no profession or social condition, there is no sin or crime of any kind that can erase from the memory and heart of God even one of his children”, Pope Francis told tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, November 3.

“God remembers, he never forgets any one of those he has created”, Francis emphasized once again, returning to what has been one of his leitmotivs ever since his election as pope: God is a loving Father, one who wants to save, not condemn people.

Speaking from the study window of the papal apartment which he uses for his Sunday encounter with pilgrims, the Argentinean Pope took his cue from this Sunday’s Gospel which was about a man, Zaccheus, who lived in the city of Jericho which Jesus had entered.

He described Zaccheus as  “a lost sheep”, one “who was despised by everyone and ‘excommunicated’ because he was a tax collector –the chief of the tax-collectors and a publican, the friend of the hated Romans, an exploiter and a thief”.  He was not allowed even to come close to Jesus when he visited Jericho because of all this.  Yet this man wanted to see Jesus, he said, but being small in stature he could not see over the crowd and so he climbed a tree so he could see Jesus.

That seemingly ‘ridiculous” gesture expressed “the interior act of the man who wanted to go above the crowd to have contact with Jesus”, the Pope said. Indeed, Zaccheus man did not really know “the profound sense of his gesture, nor did he hope to overcome the distance that separated him from the Lord”, Francis said; “he just resigned himself to seeing him as he passed by”.

Jesus, however, noticed his gesture and stopped at the tree where he was. Then looking up, he told him, “Zaccheus, come down immediately, today I want to stop at your house”.   Pope Francis said that this man “small in stature, rejected by everyone, is like one lost in anonymity, but Jesus calls him”. The Pope noted that this man has a name that is full of allusions because ‘Zaccheus’ means ‘God remembers’.

Francis recalled that Jesus went to Zaccehus’ home and that very day ‘joy’ and ‘salvation’ came to that house.

Pope Francis went onto remind everyone that God is a “Father who is always waiting, vigilant and loving, to see reborn in the heart of his son the desire to return home”.  Indeed, he said, “whenever” - as in the case of Zaccheus, “he recognizes that desire, even the simple indication (of that desire), however unconscious, he is immediately at the side of that person, and with his pardon he makes the journey of conversion and return lighter”.

Then, abandoning his prepared text, Francis looked out at the vast crowd of pilgrims in the square below, and said: “I tell you that if you have a great weight on your conscience, if you are ashamed of what you have done, then stop and reflect on this: God has never ceased to remember you!”

He encouraged everyone in such a situation, every “lost sheep”, to follow the example of Zaccheus and ‘climb a tree’ or make some similar gesture ‘however ridiculous’, to come to Jesus “and you will not be disappointed.”

“Jesus is merciful. He always pardons you, so allow yourselves to be looked at by Jesus!  Today, he wants to come and stay in your house, that is, in your life”, he told them.

He concluded by inviting everyone listening to allow ourselves “to welcome Jesus with joy, he can transform our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. He can free us from our egoisms and make our lives a gift of love”.

His words drew warm applause from the big crowd in St Peter’s Square, an applause that was redoubled when he wished them a good lunch.

(Vatican Radio) 3^rd November 2013

At his Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis spoke about the day’s Gospel account of the conversion of Zacchaeus.
The Holy Father recalled that Zacchaeus, a man “short in stature,” because he was a publican “was a lost sheep, despised, ‘excommunicated’ . . . a friend of the hated Roman occupiers, a thief and an exploiter.”
Nonetheless, although he was far away from Jesus, he climbed a tree in order to be able to see the Master as He passed by. Although it seemed ridiculous, the Pope said, “this exterior act expressed the interior act of a man who sought to bring himself beyond the crowd to come into contact with Jesus.” Although Zacchaeus himself probably did not recognize the significance of his action, Jesus, when He passed by, called Zacchaeus by name. “This man of short stature, rejected by all and far from Jesus, was like one lost in anonymity; but Jesus calls him, and his name has a significance full of allusions: Zacchaeus, in fact, means ‘God remembers’.”
Jesus, calling Zaccahaeus and going to his house, is criticised by the people of Jericho. Why, the Pope asked, with so many good people in Jericho, did Jesus go to the house of that publican? It was precisely because Zacchaeus was ‘lost.’
“There is no occupation or social condition,” Pope Francis said, “no sin or crime of any kind, that could erase from the memory and the heart of God even one of His children.” God is a Father, always keeping a watchful and loving vigil “to see reborn in the hearts of the child the desire to return home. And when He recognizes that desire, even simply stated, He is immediately close by, and with His forgiveness He makes the path of conversion and return easier.”
“Brothers and sisters, let us also call upon the name Jesus!” Pope Francis said, concluding his Angelus address. “In the depths of the heart, let us listen to His voice that says to us: ‘Today I must stay at your house,’ that is in your life. And let us welcome Him with joy: He can change us, can transform our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, He can liberate us from selfishness and make our lives a gift of love.”

Married Priests Now!

151 Regent Place, West Hempstead, NY 11552 USA

516 485 0616                 FatherBrennan@aol.com 

 September 15, 2013

                     His Holiness Pope Francis

                  Casa Marta

                  Vatican City, Vatican

                 Dear Holy Father Francis,

                 I can see that a new wind is blowing in the Church.  As you may know, the Married Priests Now! Catholic Prelature was founded by Archbishop Milingo and several other bishops to foster the return of the married priesthood to the Latin Church. 

                 I know that your primary concern at this time is to streamline and restructure the administration of the Church and to re-develop the Curia as an advisory board.  But if you are making other considerations at this time I do commend to you the many Roman Catholic married priests who would be happy to return to ministry.  The Church has often treated these men in a sad and deplorable way.  It would be nice if the new spirit of reconciliation would include the married priest. 

                 The present shortage of priests in many areas of the world has caused thousands of churches to close.  Without priests there will be no Eucharist and without the Eucharist the Church will die.  Yet, there are well trained, holy and ordained priests who cannot serve because they have married.  We are asking you to call them back to ministry.  It is estimated that there are 25, 000 married priests in the USA, and 150,000 worldwide.  This is a rich resource.   Their recall could be done through their local diocese or in a way similar to the Personal Ordinariates for the Anglican priests who became Catholic.  You might also consider allowing the married deacons to be called to the priesthood and allow seminaries to accept married men.  Marriage brings the priest closer to the people and reduces clericalism.

                 If we can be of assistance to you in putting forth a plan to re-introduce the married priesthood to the Latin Church, we would be glad to do so.  Remember, in apostolic times priests were married.  Jesus chose married men as his apostles.  St. Peter was a married priest.  In the first three centuries many bishops and popes were married.  So it is an apostolic charism to have a married priesthood along with the freely chosen celibate priesthood.    

                 I send you cordial greetings from Archbishop Milingo and from the Married Priests Now! Catholic Prelature.  We are praying for you and for the success of your plans to bring the church closer to the people. 

                 Cordially yours in Christ,

               +Peter Paul Brennan

                Archbishop

                President of the International Married Priests Now! Catholic Prelatures

               Cc:  Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Vatican City state administration,

                   Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, Retired Archbishop of Santiago, Chile,

                  Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai, India,

                   Cardinal Reinhard Marx,  Archbishop of Munich and Freising, Germany,

                   Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, Archbishop of Kinshasa, Congo,

                   Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston,

                   Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, 

                   Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Pope urges Brazil Church to win back flock who left it

 Pope Francis celebrates mass with bishops, priests and seminarians at the Cathedral of St. Sebastian in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 27, 2013. 

POPE'S HOMILY:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Seeing this Cathedral full of Bishops, priests, seminarians, and men and women religious from the whole world, I think of the Psalmist’s words from today’s Mass: "Let the peoples praise you, O God" (Ps 66). We are indeed here to praise the Lord, and we do so reaffirming our desire to be his instruments so that not only some peoples may praise God, but all. With the same parrhesia of Paul and Barnabas, we proclaim the Gospel to our young people, so that they may encounter Christ, the light for our path, and build a more fraternal world. I wish to reflect with you on three aspects of our vocation: we are called by God, called to proclaim the Gospel, and called to promote the culture of encounter.

1. Called by God – It is important to rekindle an awareness of our divine vocation, which we often take for granted in the midst of our many daily responsibilities: as Jesus says, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (Jn 15:16). This means returning to the source of our calling. At the beginning of our vocational journey, there is a divine election. We were called by God and we were called to be with Jesus (cf. Mk 3:14), united with him in a way so profound that we are able to say with Saint Paul: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20). This living in Christ, in fact, marks all that we are and all that we do. And this "life in Christ" is precisely what ensures the effectiveness of our apostolate, that our service is fruitful: "I appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide" (Jn 15:16). It is not pastoral creativity, or meetings or planning that ensure our fruitfulness, but our being faithful to Jesus, who says insistently: "Abide in me and I in you" (Jn 15:4). And we know well what that means: to contemplate him, to worship him, to embrace him, especially through our faithfulness to a life of prayer, and in our daily encounter with him, present in the Eucharist and in those most in need. "Being with" Christ does not isolate us from others. Rather, it is a "being with" in order to go forth and encounter others. This brings to mind some words of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta: "We must be very proud of our vocation because it gives us the opportunity to serve Christ in the poor. It is in the favelas, in the cantegriles,   in the villas miseria, that one must go to seek and to serve Christ. We must go to them as the priest presents himself at the altar, with joy" (Mother’s Instructions, I, p. 80). Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is our true treasure. Let us try to unite our hearts ever more closely to his (cf. Lk 12:34).

2. Called to proclaim the Gospel – dear Bishops and priests, many of you, if not all, have accompanied your young people to World Youth Day. They too have heard the mandate of Jesus: "Go and make disciples of all nations" (cf. Mt 28:19). It is our responsibility to help kindle within their hearts the desire to be missionary disciples of Jesus. Certainly, this invitation could cause many to feel somewhat afraid, thinking that to be missionaries requires leaving their own homes and countries, family and friends. I remember the dream I had when I was young: to be a missionary in faraway Japan. God, however, showed me that my missionary territory was much closer: my own country. Let us help our young people to realize that the call to be missionary disciples flows from our baptism and is an essential part of what it means to be a Christian. We must also help them to realize that we are called first to evangelize in our own homes and our places of study and work, to evangelize our family and friends.

Let us spare no effort in the formation of our young people! Saint Paul uses a beautiful expression that he embodied in his own life, when he addressed the Christian community: "My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you" (Gal 4:19). Let us embody this also in our own ministry! Let us help our young people to discover the courage and joy of faith, the joy of being loved personally by God, who gave his Son Jesus for our salvation. Let us form them in mission, in going out and going forth. Jesus did this with his own disciples: he did not keep them under his wing like a hen with her chicks. He sent them out! We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes, in our communities, when so many people are waiting for the Gospel! It is not enough simply to open the door in welcome, but we must go out through that door to seek and meet the people! Let us courageously look to pastoral needs, beginning on the outskirts, with those who are farthest away, with those who do not usually go to church. They too are invited to the table of the Lord.

3. Called to promote the culture of encounter – Unfortunately, in many places, the culture of exclusion, of rejection, is spreading. There is no place for the elderly or for the unwanted child; there is no time for that poor person on the edge of the street. At times, it seems that for some people, human relations are regulated by two modern "dogmas": efficiency and pragmatism. Dear Bishops, priests, religious and you, seminarians who are preparing for ministry: have the courage to go against the tide. Let us not reject this gift of God which is the one family of his children. Encountering and welcoming everyone, solidarity and fraternity: these are what make our society truly human.

Be servants of communion and of the culture of encounter! Permit me to say that we must be almost obsessive in this matter. We do not want to be presumptuous, imposing "our truths". What must guide us is the humble yet joyful certainty of those who have been found, touched and transformed by the Truth who is Christ, ever to be proclaimed (cf. Lk 24:13-35).
Dear brothers and sisters, we are called by God, called to proclaim the Gospel and called to promote with courage the culture of encounter. May the Virgin Mary be our exemplar. In her life she was "a model of that motherly love with which all who join in the Church’s apostolic mission for the regeneration of humanity should be animated" (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic ConsPope Francis celebrated Mass in Rio de Janeiro's St. Sebastian Cathedral, along with hundreds of bishops, seminarians and religious. Some of them specifically traveled to Brazil for World Youth Day.  During his homily the Pope encouraged them to go beyond their parish walls to proclaim the Gospel. He also said they must show the courage to stand up against a culture that welcomes only what's convenient. titution Lumen Gentium, 65). May she be the Star that surely guides our steps to meet the Lord. Amen.

PRESS RELEASE BY THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS OF KENYA

Friday, 28 June 2013 00:00 His Eminence John Cardinal Njue Chairman, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishop 

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5: 8-9)

Our dear Christians, fellow Kenyans and all people of Good will,

We the Catholic Bishops of Kenya, on this occasion of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, a day when we celebrate our transition from The Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC) to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), have reflected deeply on the State of the Nation and the direction of our country is taking under the new leadership.

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) therefore wishes to state as follows;

Appreciating New Governance Structures

The Catholic Church in Kenya appreciates the changes in Governance brought about by the new constitution especially the county governments. This devolution and decentralization of services to the 47 counties is the greatest attempt to bring services closer to the people in Kenya’s history.

However we caution against devolving other evils like corruption, nepotism and poor leadership which have always dogged the central government.

If the current county budget making process is anything to go by, then we are deeply worried that certain priorities budgeted for in the counties show extreme insensitivity to the needs of the local communities. In some cases the proposed budgets and expenditures are absurd.

We urge all Kenyans to be on the lookout and resist such insensitivity and extravagance by their county governments. We call on the establishment of structures to increase people’s participation which has always been the spirit behind the push for devolution.

The Catholic Church will actively participate in local governance and monitoring the conduct of the county governments through our extensive networks and structures.

Supremacy Wars between Senate and the National Assembly

Our attention has been drawn to the supremacy wars in parliament between the National Assembly and Senate.  We wonder the cause of such wars since each house has its clear and specific role and their complementarity well defined.

While calling for harmony and respect we challenge the two houses to compete in service delivery and drop the unnecessary power turfs.  This country needs a sensitive and competent legislature to pass laws and make necessary changes needed for the smooth running of our country.

One such law is the Basic Education Act 2013 which we feel has certain sections that may hinder the provision of holistic education.

The Basic Education Act 2013

The Catholic Church appreciates that the Act not only recognizes and spells out the roles of religious sponsors who have played a very central role in Kenya’s education sector before and after independence, but also that the Church’s efforts are still needed in the on-going reforms.

It is in the public domain that we have more than 5,000 Catholic Private and Sponsored institutions and most are the finest in the country while several are in far flung areas where Catholics are the minority.

In the past 5 years, we have invested more than Kshs 1.5 Billion in developing such institutions.

However we reiterate our opposition to certain sections of the Act namely;

• Most of the Catholic sponsored schools are on land owned by the Church or land held in trust by the Church for the community. The Act is in violation of the ownership rights of the religious sponsors which are recognized and respected by the Constitution.
• The nationalization of schools by the basic education act threatens to disposes the church of its rightful property yet the church as an institution is protected under the constitution. The Act does not seem to be appreciating.
• In addition, the church demands active involvement in the selection and appointment of the heads of such institutions which is crucial in character formation and maintenance of the well-established tradition of these schools

Taxation of basic commodities

We are deeply concerned by government’s attempts to increase the taxes and therefore the prices of basic commodities and services as stipulated in the VAT Bill 2012. We remind the government that despite increase in Kenya’s budget and government income, the majority of Kenyans are poor, jobless and lack a stable source of income.

While recognizing that the government has the legitimate power to levy taxes, we remind the state that it has no moral authority to tax beyond the point where Kenyans and their families are deprived of their ability to fend for their basic needs.

Furthermore, we urge the government to ensure that food Housing and healthcare are unconditionally available to all.

Agitation for Higher Pay by different Groups

We are alarmed by the agitation for increased pay and emoluments by different professional groups and state officers. While not disputing the legitimacy of such clamour for better pay and working conditions, we warn that this trend could snowball and render this country ungovernable.

It is sad that elected leaders who are supposed to be public servants were the first to lead the clamour for higher pay.

Today as we speak, there is no learning in virtually all public schools. It is sad that in just over fifteen years, the teachers in our beloved country are on strike for the seventh time disrupting learning in schools and the development of our children.

We also hear other voices agitating for pay hikes, and threatening to go on strike.   When will this cycle of industrial action come to an end? Can’t we learn to solve our just demands and differences amicably following channels of dialogue?

We call on the government and other stakeholders to give dialogue a chance for the sake of our children and their future.  While the government has a moral duty to pay just salaries, as Kenyans we must ask ourselves this question: If we all demand for more money at the same time, where will it come from?

Our recklessly actions jeopardize the future our children, the lives of the sick and defenceless, and indeed our nation as a whole.

Call for Vigilance and reflection

Finally, our dear Christians and all fellow Kenyans, as we embrace our new Governance structures, we urge you to remain vigilant and continue praying for God’s guidance and protection.

May the missionary spirit for Saints Peter and Paul grow in us the love for our neighbour and the honest concern for the poor and vulnerable.

His Eminence John Cardinal Njue

Chairman, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops

Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo          Vice Chairman (KCCB)Homa Bay

Most Rev. Zacchaeus OkothKisumu

Most Rev. Boniface LeleMombasa

Most Rev. Peter KairoNyeri

Rt. Rev. Philip SulumetiKakamega

Rt. Rev. Paul DarmaninGarissa

Rt. Rev. Cornelius K. Arap KorirEldoret

Rt. Rev. Joseph Mairura OkemwaKisii

Rt. Rev. Alfred RotichMilitary Ordinariate

Rt. Rev. Maurice CrowleyKitale

Rt. Rev. Norman Wambua King’ooBungoma

Rt. Rev. Peter Kihara, IMCMarsabit

Rt. Rev. David Kamau Ng’ang’a - Aux. BishopNairobi

Rt. Rev. Anthony Ireri Mukobo, IMCIsiolo Vicariate

Rt. Rev. Virgilio PanteMaralal

Rt. Rev. Salesius MugambiMeru

Rt. Rev. Emmanuel OkomboKericho

Rt. Rev. Martin Kivuva MusondeMachakos

Rt. Rev. Anthony MuheriaKitui

Rt. Rev. James Maria WainainaMuranga

Rt. Rev. Paul Kariuki NjiruEmbu

Rt. Rev. Maurice Muhatia MakumbaNakuru

Rt. Rev. Dominic KimengichLodwar

Rt. Rev. Emmanuel BarbaraMalindi

Rt. Rev. Joseph MbatiaNyahururu

Rt. Rev. John Oballa OwaaNgong

Rt. Rev. Joseph Allessandro – Co-Adjutor. Bishop of Garissa

The Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC) has rebranded to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB).

In a colourful ceremony held at the Consolata Shrine in Westlands, Nairobi on Friday 28th June 2013, and presided over by His Eminence John Cardinal Njue, KEC officially became KCCB.

The well attended function was a culmination of a process that saw the statutes of the bishops’ conference revised with approval by the Holy See. The bishops also used the occasion to launch a 10-year strategic plan that will guide the operations of the KCCB – General Secretariat.

Speaking at the launch, His Eminence John Cardinal Njue said the change of name is an “opportunity for the Catholic Church in Kenya to reposition herself to continue providing the required strategic direction for sustained evangelization of all people of God in all parts of this Country.” He said this is in line with KCCB’s Vision “….to be shepherds in communion with the Holy Father, living fully the mandate of Christ “…You shall be my Witnesses…”, (Acts 1:8) for the sanctification and salvation of all people….’’.

Cardinal Njue said the change of name is strategic and gives clarity and Catholic Identity and enables the Catholic Church in Kenya to be more effective in witnessing Christ’s universal service in charity to all humanity. “The change helps us to adapt our strategies and programs to address the many evangelization and pastoral challenges in our rapidly changing society, a change that is witnessed across the sectors, whether social, political or religious,” said Cardinal Njue. “It clarifies and strengthens our Catholic identity, which informs all our Pastoral and Developmental interventions. As we launch the new name and the 10 year Strategic Plan, the way forward becomes clearer and encouraging.”

The new change replaces the word “Episcopal” with “Catholic Bishops” for purposes of clarity and to reaffirm the identity of the Catholic Church in Kenya. According to the General Secretary of KCCB, Rev. Fr. Vincent Wambugu, in terms of structural realignment, nothing much has changed and no substantial change has either been made in terms of the activities of the Secretariat except for the strategic directions, which have been made clearer.

The ceremony was attended by the Kenyan Arch/bishops, clergy and religious, diocesan representatives, partners and collaborators, staff of the KCCB-General Secretariat, Members of Parliament and hundreds of Christian Faithful from the Archdiocese of Nairobi.

 John the Baptist a model for the Church

 June 24^th is the Solemnity of the Birth of the Saint, whom the Gospels indicate as the forerunner or precursor of Jesus. Dedicating his homily to him Pope Francis said the Church is called to proclaim the Word of God, even to martyrdom.

 The church exists for courageously proclaiming -until martyrdom- Christ, to serve and "take nothing for herself". In his homily at morning Mass on Monday, Pope Francis pointed to St. John the Baptist as model for Church: he didn't claim the Truth, the Word as his own; he diminished himself so Christ could shine.

Pope Francis began his homily by addressing best wishes to all who bear the name John. The figure of John the Baptist, the Pope said, is not always easy to understand. "When we think of his life - he observed – we think of a prophet," a "man who was great and then ends up as a poor man." Who is John? The Pope said john himself explains: "I am a voice, a voice in the wilderness," but "it is a voice without the Word, because the Word is not him, it is an Other." Here then is the mystery of John: "He never takes over the Word," John "is the one who indicates, who marks". The "meaning of John's life - he added - is to indicate another." Pope Francis then spoke of being struck by the fact that the "Church chooses to mark John’s feast day” at a time when the days are at their longest in the year, when they "have more light." And John really "was the man of light, he brought light, but it was not his own light, it was a reflected light." John is "like a moon" and when Jesus began to preach, the light of John "began to decline, to set". "Voice not Word - the Pope said - light, but not his own"
"John seems to be nothing. That is John’s vocation: he negates himself. And when we contemplate the life of this man, so great, so powerful - all believed that he was the Messiah - when we contemplate this life, how it is nullified to the point of the darkness of a prison, we behold a great mystery. We do not know what John’s last days were like. We do not know. We only know that he was killed, his head was put on a platter, as a great gift from a dancer to an adulteress. I don’t think you can lower yourself much more than this, negate yourself much more. That was the end that John met".

Pope Francis noted that in prison John experienced doubts, anguish and he called on his disciples to go to Jesus and ask him, "Are you You, or should we expect someone else?". His life is one of “pain and darkness”. John “was not even spared this”, said the Pope, who added: "the figure of John makes me think so much about the Church":
"The Church exists to proclaim, to be the voice of a Word, her husband, who is the Word. The Church exists to proclaim this Word until martyrdom. Martyrdom precisely in the hands of the proud, the proudest of the Earth. John could have made himself important, he could have said something about himself. 'But I never think', only this: he indicated, he felt himself to be the voice, not the Word. This is John’s secret. Why is John holy and without sin? Because he never, never took a truth as his own. He would not be an ideologue. The man who negated himself so that the Word could come to the fore. And we, as a Church, we can now ask for the grace not to become an ideological Church ... "

The Church, he added, must hear the Word of Jesus and raise her voice, proclaim it boldly. "That - he said - is the Church without ideologies, without a life of its own: the Church which is the mysterium lunae which has light from her Bridegroom and diminish herself so that He may grow"

"This is the model that John offers us today, for us and for the Church. A Church that is always at the service of the Word. A Church that never takes anything for herself. Today in prayer we asked for the grace of joy, we asked the Lord to cheer this Church in her service to the Word, to be the voice of this Word, preach this Word. We ask for the grace, the dignity of John, with no ideas of their own, without a Gospel taken as property, only one Church that indicates the Word, and this even to martyrdom. So be it! "

Mass was concelebrated by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, and attended by a group of priests and collaborators of the Pontifical Council for Culture, a group of employees of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology and the Vatican’s Philatelic and Numismatic Office.

 Bishop Kasomo Daniel Celebrates 4th Anniversary of Episcopal Ordination

 Fourth Anniversary as Bishop
Society of St.Peter and Paul (SSPP)
June 24, 2013 

 On the occasion of my fourth anniversary of Ordination as Bishop, I give thanks at this Moment to Almighty God for the great privilege of serving Him and His Church. Today, one word keeps surfacing in my mind: mystery.

 It is a mystery to me that, with my weaknesses and limitations, the Lord chose me to be His Bishop five years ago. Yet, we know that no one takes this honor on himself. In God’s divine and mysterious plan, it is the Lord who calls! I am what I am by the grace of God.

 There is only one thing to do in the midst of such a mystery: to say yes...Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will. I am the handmaid of the Lord let it be done to me according to His Word. Only in conformity to His will do we find peace.

 Ever since the day of my Ordination, the mystery has kept unfolding. When I was ordained a Bishop, I was serving in one of my happiest priestly assignments: University lecturer. However, shortly thereafter I had to combine that assignment in order to include more administrative and pastoral responsibilities. It was not what I wanted. However, I certainly discovered, once again, that yes to God’s call always leads to abundant spiritual blessings.

 Then, the biggest mystery in my time as Bishop occurred: I had to leave all that was familiar in order to become the Bishop of SSPP. I was somewhat frightened and yet, with God’s grace, was able to say yes. And of course, what followed were more amazing blessings. I thank you, dear brother priests who immediately embraced me and have continued to extend such tremendous fraternal support. Deep gratitude is also extended to you deacons, consecrated religious, seminarians, colleagues, advisors, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ for all of your goodness to me. I thank God every day for the joy and honor of serving as Bishop in your midst and within this great community of SSPP.

 The mystery, no doubt, will continue to unfold for all of us. Who knows what lies ahead? But we do know this: We have every reason to be confident because, as we have experienced throughout our lives, God is always faithful and supplies the strength that we need. May all of us use this occasion to renew our yes to God’s holy will.

 Today, I also reflect on what God is asking of me at this very moment in my life. The Sacred Scripture in particular prophet Micah answers that question for me and all of us: to do the right, to love goodness and to walk humbly with God. The Gospels also speaks clearly to me on this special day and reminds me of the need to be a faithful shepherd after the heart of Christ. Dear friends, I renew that promise today, ever dependent on your prayers and support and God’s divine assistance.

 King David was the young shepherd, called by God, to become the leader of his people through some of the most difficult spiritual, economic and political times in Israel’s history. King David had a great love for music. In several of the psalms he invites the people to join him in singing a new song to the Lord.

 King David was one of the greatest leaders in the history of Israel and yet he was regularly confronted by his own weakness and sinfulness.  He was often tempted to be self-centred and to forget that we are here to serve, not to be served.  One of his greatest qualities, however, was the ability to honestly say,

 ‘Be merciful to me, O God.
Because of your constant love.
Because of your great mercy
Wipe away my sins’  (Ps 51, 1-2)

 As Pope Francis reminded us recently, ‘authentic power is service’ a service which has its ‘radiant culmination on the Cross’.  For a heart that is touched by the Cross of Christ, is a heart that is always drawn to service of others. It is the heart of the Good Shepherd who desires that not even one of those, entrusted to his care, should be lost. It is a heart that embraces, with tender affection everyone, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important.

 Today the Lord calls us to a new place and different pasture.  Today the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred upon me.  Today I was are called to take the place of Christ himself – teacher, shepherd and priest, in a leading and visible manner and to act as his representative.  That is not, and never has been, an easy task.  If it were going to be easy why, right at the beginning, did Jesus feel it necessary to tell his disciples:  The world will make you suffer but be brave.  I have overcome the world.

 If it were going to be easy, why was everything Paul said contradicted at Antioch and why were he and Barnabas expelled from that territory.  Yet, against all the odds, and despite all the opposition, the Word of God spread through the whole country and the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (Acts 13: 45, 50).

 The Word of God spread simply because things were going according to plan – God’s plan.  Yes, that plan involved the death of Jesus – but more importantly, it involved the resurrection of Jesus and the revelation of His glory, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 My hope is that someone listening to me here today or watching on the internet will be inspired to become a herald of hope to the world – by giving themselves unconditionally in the service of love as a priest, religious sister or brother.

 So together on this day, in the spirit of humility and with renewed faith, we entrust our lives and our future to God’s divine plan. Does that involve mystery? Of course. And only one response is necessary: “Yes... Here I am Lord...I come to do Your will both now and forever. “Sing a new song’ to the Lord”. Amen.

 Rt. Rev. Bishop Kasomo Daniel

 The Bishop of the Society of St. Peter and Paul (SSPP)

WE ARE NOW KCCB

Saturday, 01 June 2013 00:00 Angela Silima Muchai News Flash - Latest

Launch of the rebranded name scheduled on Friday June 2013 at the Consolata Shrine Parish

The College of Catholic bishops in Kenya has from February 2013 officially rebranded to Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) from Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC). This follows the firm resolution by the Conference of Catholic Bishops that there was a need to change its name keeping in mind the mushrooming of many religious sects, to avoid confusion with other church organisations.

The bishops took up the issue which included among others the choosing of the appropriate name. Once there was consensus on the name, the Statutes were revised in 2011 to reflect the Changes and also in compliance with the 1983 Code of Canon Law. After approval of the statutes, they were forwarded to the Holy See, Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples for recognition.

In July 2012, the Statutes for the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) were approved by the Holy See thus completing the Canonical requirements. In February 2013, the change of name was successfully effected at the Registrar of Societies.

By a resolution of the Plenary Assembly, the rebranded name is scheduled for launch on Friday June 28^th 2013 together with the 10-year strategic plan of KCCB at the Consolata Shrine Parish. The launch will be a milestone in the History of the Catholic Bishops Conference, since its formation in 1965.

PRESS RELEASE ON THE 47TH WORLD DAY OF COMMUNICATIONS

Sunday, 12 May 2013 00:00 Catholic Secretariat

Theme: Social Networks: Portals of Truth and Faith; New spaces for evangelization

Today, the universal church is celebrating the 47th World Day of Communication.  The universal theme, identified by the Pope Emeritus, Benedict the XVI, is Social Networks: Portals of Truth and Faith; New spaces for evangelization. Thus the Church in Kenya, united in this spirit with the universal church, begun the celebration three days ago, under the umbrella of the Catholic Media Festivals, which begun on 9th May and will end today 12th May 2013.  In our celebrations in Kenya, we have focused on various areas of reflection for media use.

Precisely, we have reflected with the primary and secondary schools, as well as university students. We also reflected with families and religious and clergy. We have also spent time reflecting about the State of Kenyan media and the role of Communications and media in promoting the common good.

While congratulating Kenyan media for their role towards building a truly open society, we realize that a lot still remains to be done; especially in the area of evangelization. In particular, we realize that the new media, and especially the social media, need to be evangelized as well. To this effect, it is vital to mention that we are aware of hate messages, ethnic and derogatory remarks being perpetuated on social media, specifically on Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo groups, community chat rooms and mobile phone texts.

It is regrettable that while we have made tremendous steps in improving mainstream media, the unregulated forums are being used to perpetuate ethnic stereotypes and polarization. On this special day of World Communications Day, the Catholic Church in Kenya thus urges responsible use of all forms of media to promote common good.

The media’s oversight role

We call on the media to continue playing its watchdog role and not shy away from pointing out ills in the society. We recognise that an objective media is an important partner in development. Let the media take up its role in educating the people on the constitutional implementation process so that we can have a smooth transition into the devolved government and a prosperous God fearing Nation.

We cannot conclude the celebrations of this day without acknowledging the risks media practitioners find themselves in while discharging their duties. We have media practitioners from Church-owned, private and government-owned media who have lost their lives while on the line of duty. We salute you all on this day and pray that the good Lord grants you all eternal rest. And for contemporary media practitioners, let ethics, professionalism, dedication to God and service to humanity be your driving force.

And for the young and up-coming media, we encourage you to soldier on, learning only the good things from your predecessors. In particular, we celebrate Radio Waumini that is turning 10 years today.

Long live the media! Long live Kenya! God bless Kenya!

Martin Kivuva Musonde

Chairman, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission for Social Communications

2013-04-23 Vatican Radio
(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Vatican Press Office on Tuesday released a statement on the kidnapping of the Orthodox bishops in Syria.
Please find below Vatican Radio’s translation of the statement.
The kidnapping of the two Metropolitan bishops of Aleppo, Mar Gregorios Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Church, and Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, and the killing of their driver whilst they were carrying out a humanitarian mission, is a dramatic confirmation of the tragic situation in which the Syrian population and the Christian communities in Syria are living. The Holy Father has been informed of this recent, extremely grave act, which comes on top of the increasing violence of the past days and a humanitarian emergency of enormous proportions. Pope Francis is following the events with deep participation and he is praying for the health and the liberation of the two kidnapped bishops. He is also praying so that, with the support and prayers of all, the Syrian people may finally see tangible responses to the humanitarian drama and real hopes of peace and reconciliation rise on the horizon

          

His Eminence John Cardinal Njue on Friday 12th April 2013 led the Catholic Bishops in Kenya in welcoming the new Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya, His Excellency Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo.

The plane carrying the new Pope’s Representative touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 6.00.am.  On hand to receive Archbishop Balvo were the Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, His Eminence John Cardinal Njue, the Archbishop of Kisumu, Most Rev. Zacchaeus Okoth, the Bishop of Malindi, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Barbara, KCCB Secretary General, Rev. Fr. Vincent Wambugu and the Charge D’ Affairs at the Apostolic Nunciature to Kenya, Msgr. Javier Herrera Corona.

The new Nuncio later addressed a press conference at the airport. In his remarks, the Nuncio said he was excited with the recent appointment of the New Pontiff, Pope Francis. He said the Christian Faithful all over the world were happy with his values and lifestyle. “The name of the Holy Father, Francis, is of great symbolic meaning, especially as it is associated with St. Francis of Assisi, who lived a humble, simple life. His appointment has generated a lot of excitement around the world.”

Archbishop Balvo said he had met Pope Francis before embarking on his maiden trip to Kenya to take up his appointment and was touched by his humility especially when the Holy Father asked him to pray for him. “The Holy Father gave me great words of encouragement. What he seeks from all of us are prayers and support so that he can carry on his mission.”

Archbishop Balvo expressed pleasure over his appointment as the Pope’s representative to Kenya. “I feel honoured and privileged to represent the Holy Father in Kenya,” he said. “I’m happy to see His Eminence and the bishops here this morning. I will spend the next days observing and listening in order to understand the Church in Kenya and aftewards plan on how to proceed in my work in the country.”

On his part, Cardinal Njue said the coming of the new Nuncio was an important occassion for the Catholic Church in Kenya. “The country has been waiting anxioulsy for this day of days. This day is also special in that it is coming at a time when the bishops are having their Plenary Assembly. I hope His Excellency can find time to meet the bishops during their meeting.”

Archbishop Okoth invited the Nuncio to enjoy the beauty of Kenya as he visited the dioceses where the Catholic fraternity will be glad to welcome him. “Your coming here makes us feel  that the Church in Kenya is not isolated. Seeing you today reminds us of the unity of the Universal Church.”