Kakamega, 02 November, 2022 / 9:20 pm (ACI Africa).
The consultation phase of the ongoing preparations for the Synod on Synodality has provided an opportunity for “new horizons” in the way of listening and understanding the people of God, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kakamega in Kenya has said.
In an interview with ACI Africa, Bishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe said the consultative phases of the synod “was like a thunderbolt to many of our Christians”.
“The period of consultation opened to us a new horizon of understanding and listening; it required us to go beyond what we normally do,” Bishop Obanyi said during the October 29 interview on the sidelines of the Episcopal Golden Jubilee celebration of the pioneer Bishop of Kakamega Diocese, Bishop Philip Sulumeti.
The synodal process has been “a good time and it gave us an indication of what the Church must do to remain relevant,” the Kenyan Catholic Bishop said, adding that the process has brought about the realization that “many times we take it for granted that we listen”.
“How often do we really listen to everyone as a whole including other groups that have emerged,” the Local Ordinary of Kakamega said, and identified prisoners, street children and commercial motorcycle riders as some of the special interest groups who made remarks on how they can be served better.
