“God is concerned about what goes on in your womb”: Catholic Archbishop in Kenya

He added that it is important for people to be aware of the pro-abortion teachings that have been disguised as reproductive health matters. “I draw your attention to this,” he said, continued, “We live in a generation where people are giving all manner of teachings camouflaged as reproductive health care for women."

Archbishop Muhatia emphasized the need for women to protect their uteruses, saying, “How precious the womb is before God,” be it for a woman Religious or a lay faithful. 

The Kenyan Archbishop who has been at the helm of Kisumu Archdiocese since March 19 urged the faithful to remain firm in the Christian teachings that protect life.

“Please let your Christian faith lead you; don't be diverted from this because it is essential." said the Archbishop. 

Archbishop Muhatia's message comes weeks after members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) urged the people of God in the East African country to evaluate political candidates seeking to be elected in the August 9 general elections so that they can vote in pro-life leaders.

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Catholic Bishops in Kenya said there are some political candidates “who have shown indications of leaning towards ideologies that are destructive to our African values and cultures.”

“We are particularly concerned about those with pro-abortion tendencies as well as those who are actively involved in sexualization of our young people. We appeal to Kenyans to shun from electing such persons in public offices,” KCCB members said. 

In his June 23 homily, Archbishop Muhatia prayed that in the new Vincentian Prayer House, Christians will learn the value of community life and respect for the Holy Eucharist. 

"In this house you will be taught not only how to read the Bible. In this house you will also be told how to treasure community life because Jesus has said He is there where two or three are gathered in his name," the Archbishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in Nakuru Diocese in February 2010 said. 

"This house of prayer will not be used and should not be used to promote individualism," the native of Kenya’s Kakamega Diocese said, and added, "It would be a pity if a religious kept coming here and cannot relate well with our community members. It will actually be a scandal." 

He continued, "We expect all religious who come here, all Christians who come here, to be men and women of faith. It will be very bad if a wife comes here for prayer and she has neglected the husband at home. That is not what Jesus wants."

Archbishop Muhatia said that the Vincentian Prayer House he was blessing "is going to point us back to our responsibility to the community." 

"Let us learn to stay and be with the Lord for the rest of that day but having fulfilled our other responsibilities," he reiterated, and added, "Catholic spirituality is a spirituality that is integral; it responds to the needs of the Lord, responds to the needs of the neighbor; it responds to the needs of the individual who is praying."

The Archbishop of Kisumu further said that the Vincentian Prayer House he was blessing is, like John the Baptist, "going to point us to the Eucharist." 

"The Eucharist and the respect for the Eucharist, the reverence for the Eucharist, the reverence for Jesus in his real presence in the body and in his blood, in the sacrament of the altar, this house of prayer will tell you, will tell me, will tell all of us: behold the lamb of God, go unto him," Archbishop Muhatia said during the June 23 blessing of Vincentian Prayer House in Kisumu.

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Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.