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Kenya’s Nakuru Diocese to Enhance Men’s Participation in Church During Year of St. Joseph

A statue of St. Joseph unveiled to mark the Year of St. Joseph in Kenya's Nakuru Diocese

The leadership of Kenya’s Nakuru Diocese is planning to use the Year of St. Joseph to have the participation of men in church activities improved, the Pastoral Director of the Diocese has told ACI Africa. 

“Our plan this year is to see that men grow in Christian faith and participate in church activities. They are actually our target,” Fr. Dicto Kikwai told ACI Africa Monday, February 8.

He added, “When you go back especially to our Small Christian Communities (SCCs), we see that men’s participation is actually very, very low. We want more men to participate in such forums.” 

Men’s participation at the local level of the church is lower compared to that of women who, through the Catholic Women Association (CWA), are “at the front in matters of evangelization and are very vibrant,” Fr. Kikwai explained. 

“We want to bring them (men) even if not to the same level as women, but to at least be more lively than they are at the moment,” he further said, adding that his office has already organized meetings to discuss how to achieve this.  

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“My appeal to Christians is to participate in the activities that we have put in place. We want at the end to see the impact of the Year. We want to see a growth in faith and full participation in the Church,” Fr. Kikwai told ACI Africa February 8.

He expressed the hope that Catholic men in the Diocese will become more involved in matters of faith and eventually draw their families closer to God, just as Pope Francis envisions in his Post-Synodal Exhortation ‘Amoris Laetitia.’ 

Even with the focus on men during the year-long celebrations, Fr. Kikwai says that they are not leaving out other groups in the church as they desire “to grow in faith as a family, that’s why the activities of the year are inclusive.”

Among the activities to be undertaken include pilgrimages to three churches and one institution under the patronage of St. Joseph, an exercise that will be carried out in small groups over time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pastoral Director of Kenya’s Nakuru Diocese told ACI Africa.

Catholics are also expected to take part in saying the prayer of St. Joseph and the Litany of St. Joseph on Sundays.

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Ahead of the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19, which will be celebrated in all parishes within the Diocese, the faithful are expected to pray the Novena to St. Joseph, and also participate in the Seven Sundays Devotion to St. Joseph.

A special booklet on St. Joseph has also been published to guide Catholics in the Kenyan Diocese in marking the year that the Holy Father instituted to run from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021. 

Among the contents of the 23-page booklet shared with ACI Africa is an explanation of why Pope Francis instituted the Year of St. Joseph, the period of the celebration, special graces and indulgences relating to the Year, a brief Catechesis on St. Joseph, as well as various prayers seeking St. Joseph’s intercession.

The booklet also contains monthly reflections based on the virtues of St. Joseph. In January, the faithful reflected on Joseph, the Most Valiant Protector of the Church; in February they are expected to reflect on Joseph, the Most Chaste Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary; March on Joseph, Most Just; and April on Joseph Lover of Poverty. 

In May, Catholics in the Diocese of Nakuru are expected to reflect on St. Joseph, Model of Workers; in June on St. Joseph, Most Obedient and Head of the Holy Family; in July on St. Joseph Most Faithful; August on St. Joseph, Mirror of Patience and in September on St. Joseph, Most Prudent. 

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