Kenya: Youth Leaders Formation Day with MC Fathers

Distributing Catholic African Bibles to participants.

On Saturday 30 September, together with the MC Fathers in Nairobi, we conducted a formation day for youth leaders from parishes and smaller sub-communities from Huruma and Mathare areas of the city. We deliberately planned this formation day a week ahead of a larger, more general youth encounter scheduled to take place the following Saturday. About 40 youth leaders participated. Thanks to the generosity and support of the benefactors of Franciscan Mission Outreach we were able to underwrite the cost of the day and present each youth leader present with a copy of the African Catholic Bible and a small Family Catechism. The youth, all of whom come from poor neighborhoods, were deeply grateful for these gifts.  

A talk on the New Evangelization.

The day began with a quiet Holy Hour in the morning, followed by breakfast. After the distribution of the Bibles and catechisms I gave a talk on the meaning and importance of the New Evangelization, after which the youths broke down into smaller discussion groups. Of course there was also time for some fun activities and plenty of singing.

After lunch we had another, more animated Holy Hour, followed by Mass in Kiswahili, celebrated by Fr. Ray, MC. Br. Jufinalis, MC, a Kenyan on his pastoral year between second and third theology in Rome, did most of the coordination for the day. It was a special joy for him (and us) to have two of his brothers and a niece participate in the day.

Br. Jufinalis, MC (left rear), with his two brothers (right front and back) and niece (left front).

Participants in the Youth Leaders Formation Day.