“If everyone in the family always has Christ in his mind, you may be sure that husbands will love their wives, wives will obey their husbands, children will obey and respect their parents, and parents will treat their children with love,” he says.
The Local Ordinary of Nairobi Archdiocese since November 2021 appeals to Catholic family members to live their faith in joy and “prayer of thanksgiving”.
“Let your hearts be like a home where the message of Christ is always received with Joy, and your prayer, a prayer of thanksgiving for your family, is founded on the Catholic faith,” he says in his 16-page Pastoral Letter on the occasion of Christmas 2023 titled, “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
Archbishop Anyolo expresses his awareness of the “dangers threatening our families today” and cautions young people against making decisions without discernment.
“In order to build truly African and Christian families, I strongly encourage our young people to discern your vocation well, and those of you who are called to embrace marriage and family to do so with adequate preparation,” he says.
The Catholic Church leaders further calls upon young people contemplating marriage to be “determined to build a family modeled after the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, committed to living a life of faithfulness, love and service.”
During Christmas festivities, he urges young people “to occupy your time in healthy projects and activities” and cautions them against getting “into bad company or habits. Continue to cherish the virtues of purity, modesty, hard work, and obedience.”
Archbishop Anyolo calls upon Parish leaders and other Catholic institutions to foster a welcoming spirit for young people in their midst, and to “organize activities that will help them in their growth as good Catholic Christians and honest citizens.”
“I know our priests are very busy; yet, I plead with you: kindly don’t forget them,” he adds, and further encourages those at the helm of Parishes to seek “assistance from your lay leaders, religious communities and other pastoral agents so that our young people are not left alone but are accompanied and cared for.”
He goes on to recognize the challenges families in Kenya are facing amid economic challenges, saying, “Indeed, most of your families are under immense stress as you struggle to make ends meet, to provide for your children’s education, healthcare.”
