Yesterday October 15, 2023, on the 28th Sunday in ordinary time, the Kenyan Catholic Community in Rome congregated at the Priestly College of St. Paul for their Sunday Mass.
The event was graced by the presence of Archbishop Martin Kivuva of the Mombasa Archdiocese, who presided over the Mass, and Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Nyeri Archdiocese, who delivered the homily.
Following the Mass, there was a brief conference during which Kenyans in Rome engaged in a dialogue with the Archbishops, posing questions on various pastoral and governance matters, as well as the ongoing Synod on Synodality. The Archbishops are currently in Rome for the ongoing Synod of Bishops, which commenced on October 4th and is scheduled to continue until October 29th.
In his homily, Archbishop Muheria used analogies from the day’s readings to emphasize that liturgy, and our worship of God in general, is a celebration of joy. This joy is biblically expressed through the metaphors of a feast and a banquet. He encouraged the congregation not to lose the joy of serving God and His people, emphasizing that this joy, to be authentic and not merely sentimental, should be drawn from the Eucharist.
Archbishop Martin called on the members to keep on praying for Kenya to overcome the current economic challenges as well as peace for countries engaged in war.
The Kenyan Catholic Community in Rome is composed of priests, religious, seminarians, and lay faithful who are in Rome for various purposes, including studies, apostolate, or work.
As a gesture of appreciation, the community presented the Archbishops with gifts, including two statues: one of St. Joseph Sleeping and another of the image of Our Lady of Silence. These two images hold significant meaning, as they represent devotions dear to Pope Francis and the ongoing Synod, which places a strong emphasis on the act of listening. St. Joseph listened to God through dreams while sleeping, while Blessed Mother Mary silently accompanied her Son Jesus.
