“OUR DIVERSITY IS A GIFT FROM GOD, NURTURE IT”: AN APPEAL TO CHRISTIANS DURING LENTEN SEASON

The 2022 national Lenten campaign was launched with the theme; Unity in diversity: Promoting good neighborliness. The event attracted people from all the dioceses hosted by the archdiocese at the St. Mary’s Msongari grounds.

Bishop David Kamau urged the christians to make sane decisions during the Lenten season. This he said alluding to the upcoming elections in August pausing a question to all, “we need to ask ourselves who is my neighbor? Are we united as a country during this period of elections despite our diversity?”

Bishop John Oballa of Ngong diocese who is the chair of the Catholic Justice and Peace Department (CJPD) while addressing the congregation noted that, “we are diverse in many spheres but in all God created us in our diversity which is a blessing. When we discriminate others due to our diversity, we destroy the unity among us. This Lenten season reminds us of our sinfulness. The mercy of God and His enduring love even when we go astray” he said.

As christians enter the Lent season, bishop Oballa acknowledged that the journey towards holiness requires physical discipline which calls for all to withdraw to inner selves in prayers while observing good neighborliness not just an observance of the law, but through virtues which form a basis of a good person.

Touching on the August 2022 general elections, he called on each person to promote sound civic education as their personal responsibility. He said, “A peaceful election means, peaceful coexistence. Diversity of opinions should enrich our choices and not scatter our togetherness for the kind of choices we make as we cast our votes, makes a difference in the kind of Kenya we want. Promote leaders who respect the rule of law by all.”

Amongst those in attendance were, KCCB Secretary General, Chairman of the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK), NCCK secretary General and the Switzerland Ambassador to Kenya among the Clergy and laity.