Health Practitioners in Kenya Urged to Emulate St. Francis of Assisi, “be good and do good”

“As Francis says, don't be gloomy. And if you do good and you realize that goodness is not enough, use your preaching in your words,” the Catholic Church leader in Nairobi said.

In his homily at the event which was also attended by the Bishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of  Buea in Cameroon, Bishop Emmanuel Mbushu, the Kenyan Archbishop called on health practitioners to  appreciate God’s guidance and follow His ways.

Archbishop Anyolo said that the first rule of St. Francis was to instill joy in the people.

He described the Catholic Church as the “church of happiness”, urging the people of God to find happiness in all stages of their lives, including in birth, naming, healing, and in sickness and in death, saying. “Anything you do is a celebration,” he said.

He further challenged health practitioners to always try other alternatives, like referrals, in cases where the patient's situation seems complicated, rather than giving up on them.

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He urged the health practitioners and all service providers to sacrifice for the work and do it well for God to attract God's blessings, saying, “Stay together like a family yearning together in hope and care of the people of God.”

The Archbishop of Nairobi further encouraged all the people of God to be like St. Francis of Assisi, who focused on taking care of God’s creation.

How called for the care of the vulnerable and the poor, saying, "As we celebrate this occasion, I want to encourage you, my dear brothers and my dear sisters, to continue being angelic in your lives.”

Sabrine Amboka is a Kenyan journalist with a passion for Catholic church communication. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from St. Paul's University in Kenya.