The Catholic Diocese of Murang’a on Sunday, January 21 inaugurated the Year of Children at St Joseph the Worker Mumbi Catholic Parish.
The colorful event presided over by the Vicar General, The Very Rev Fr Charles Kibe, on behalf of Bishop Wainaina, the Bishop’s Executive Secretary, Rev Fr Moses Kagunya and a host of priests brought together deans, delegates, students and representatives from the Diocese’s 54 parishes.
The Year of Children 2024, seeks to rally Christian faithful and the entire nation to let the children grow in favor of God and people.
“We are called to allow our children to grow, know, love and serve the Lord just as Jesus in the book of Mark 10 verse 16, after compelling the apostles to let the children draw near him, embraced them, laid hands on them and blessed them,” observed Fr Kibe.
“We are going to help our children grow know love and serve Christ by walking with them in their faith journey,” he added.
Kibe further called upon Christians to help children foster a good understanding of the Eucharist, by teaching them more on it as they share in Christ love and love for the entire humanity.
“Ensure you mentor a missionary spirit in the children by encouraging them to participate in serving the church and serving others even as the church holds liturgical activities for them,”
“We will have seminars for them, adoration with them on a monthly basis at the parish level and we will let them serve during mass celebrations,” he added
The Year of Children will also put a special emphasis on helping children with special needs, so that they also will feel and share in the warmth of being in Christian family.
The visionary year of children was first celebrated in the diocese in 2017 and will be marked every seventh year.
The launch of the Year of Children, will be replicated in the deanery and parish levels across the diocese.
Additionally, during the celebration of the mass the word of God was also exalted since the third Sunday of ordinary time has been designated as the Sunday of the Word of God.
This Sunday usually falls between January 21 and 27 helps the church celebrate and proclaim Jesus, as the word of God calls all to discipleship and accept transformation for the kingdom of God
The Vicar General commissioned the Year of Children as well as blessing the children present and the pastoral resources like banners, logo and a guideline book that will be used to mark the year of children 2024.
The theme for the year of children is drawn from the gospel of mark 10:16.
“Jesus embraced the children, laid hands on them and blessed them “and will be celebrated under four pillars namely Grow, Know, Love and serve.
By Florence Kinyua
