Parents Need to “adopt family structures” Supporting Children’s Spiritual formation: Catholic Archbishop in Kenya

Archbishop Anyolo emphasized that “God wants the community of His people to be together with Him” and that “this is possible through teachings and instructions that help us build Small Christian Communities.”

“The foundation of these communities (the family) is bringing us together before God with His help. This reminds us that even when we are saved by Jesus Christ, we are saved as a community, not just as individuals. Let us walk together,” the Local Ordinary of the ADN said at the December 21 triple celebrations of Parish Family Day, Silver Jubilee, and Confirmation.

The journey to salvation, he went on to say, “begins in the family and continues in the Small Christian Community, in the Parish, and in the Catholic Church.”

The 69-year-old Kenyan Catholic Church leader, who started his Episcopal Ministry in February 1996 as Bishop of Kenya’s Kericho Diocese encouraged parents to continue journeying with the 200 newly confirmed candidates, noting they are still “too young” to be left on their own.

He said, “Those receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation today are young. They know that you, as their adults, are there to support them. They are following your footsteps.”

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Parents Need to “adopt family structures” Supporting Children’s Spiritual formation: Catholic Archbishop in Kenya

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“In doing this, they also affirm your faith and strengthen you in your faith. They are doing this not only for themselves but also for every family they come from. When they go back home, please take care of them,” Archbishop Anyolo added at the celebration of the Silver Jubilee of St. Charles Lwanga Kamirithu Parish run by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans/Holy Ghost Fathers/CSSp.).

He continued referring to the 200 confirmation candidates, “Do not push them away; they still need your care, your attention, your presence, and your example as Christians. That is why they are given the Sacrament of Confirmation: so that the doors to receiving all the other Sacraments may be opened to them.”

In his December 21 homily, Archbishop Anyolo also reflected on the significance of the Christmas Season, describing it as a reminder to the people of God of the value of unity and a moment to reflect on the value of God’s presence in the family. 

He said, “As we celebrate Christmas, its message is simple: that we unite and become one, one group united by the sacred mystery of Jesus Christ.”

“The sacred mystery of Jesus Christ is His birth, His life, His suffering, His death, and His resurrection, so that He may grant us eternal salvation. Christ Himself came to invite us in a special way and to remind us that we belong to God,” the Local Ordinary of the ADN since his installation in November 2021 said.

He continued, “Even though He is God, He took on our humanity so that we might receive His divinity. We gave Him our humanity, and He gives us His divinity, so that in us we may have the image and likeness of God.”

In his homily, Archbishop Anyolo called on the people of God under his pastoral care to remain steadfast and not to give in to despair amid life’s challenges. He invited them to turn to Jesus Christ, who was born in poverty in a manger at a time of widespread hardship—an experience he noted continues to resonate with the suffering and struggles people endure today.

“We too experience such situations. Christ expresses our human feelings, our thoughts, our pains, and everything we go through. We are reminded in our daily lives, especially in families, that even though there are many challenges, God is with us,” he said.

During the December 21 celebrations, three couples marking 25 years of marriage, along with members of the St. Charles Lwanga Kamirithu Parish Pastoral Council, were recognized and presented with certificates.

Nicholas Waigwa is a Kenyan multimedia journalist and broadcast technician with a professional background in creating engaging news stories and broadcasting content across multiple media platforms. He is passionate about the media apostolate and Catholic Church communication.