(Vatican Radio) On the first full day of his visit to Kenya, Pope Francis celebrated Mass at Nairobi University. During his homily, which he gave on a specially constructed alter on the campus grounds, the Pope stressed the importance of the family noting that, “Kenyan society has long been blessed with strong family life, a deep respect for the wisdom of the elderly and love for children. The health of any society depends on the health of its families.”
The Holy Father also had a special appeal for the young people of Kenya, saying, ” I appeal in a special way to the young people of the nation. Let the great values of Africa’s traditions, the wisdom and truth of God’s word, and the generous idealism of your youth guide you in working to shape a society which is ever more just, inclusive and respectful of human dignity. May you always be concerned for the needs of the poor, and reject everything that leads to prejudice and discrimination, for these things, we know, are not of God.”
The Pope urged the those gathered at the Mass, to “Stand strong in faith! and not to be afraid, telling them that the Lord “asks us to be missionary disciples, men and women who radiate the truth, beauty and life-changing power of the Gospel.”
The head of Vatican Radio’s English Africa section, Fr. Paul Samasumo is with Pope Francis in Africa and sent this report on the Mass.
Listen:
Not even the rains could dampen the mood of Kenyans. Throngs of Catholics and non-Catholics started gathering at the Nairobi university Campus as early as 3 am in the morning, in order to have a good view of proceedings. The Mass started at 10 am and lasted roughly an hour and forty five minutes.
Pope Francis looked mesmerised by the energetic choreography of the children as they performed the liturgical dance at various parts of the Mass. The choir was on its feet throughout the Mass. It was a choir of children, the youth and elderly.
Kenyan media said that the three hundred thousand capacity Nairobi University campus grounds was filled and overflowing. Thousands other Kenyans lined up the streets in the vicinity awaiting a glimpse of Pope Francis. In a country where one out of every three persons is a baptised Catholic, this is understandable. The Government honoured the day by declaring a public holiday.
During the Mass, Pope Francis demonstrated a certain proficiency in the English language never before witnessed. He confidently celebrated the entire Mass with little hesitation. At the end of the homily, Pope Francis even blessed Kenyans in KiSwahili telling Kenyans not to be afraid. “Stand strong in faith. Do not to fear anything… Mungu abariki Kenya,” May God bless Kenya, he said.
Travelling on the Apostolic journey with Pope Francis in Africa, I am Fr. Paul Samasumo.
(from Vatican Radio)…
Pope Francis celebrated Holy Mass Thursday at the campus of Nairobi University.
Please find below the full prepared text of his homily.
Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis
Nairobi University Campus
Thursday, 26 November 2015
God’s word speaks to us in the depths of our heart. Today God tells us that we belong to him. He made us, we are his family, and he will always be there for us. “Fear not”, he says to us, “I have chosen you and I promise to give you my blessing” (cf. Is 44:2).
We hear this promise in today’s first reading. The Lord tells us that in the desert he will pour forth water on the thirsty land; he will cause the children of his people to flourish like grass and luxuriant willows. We know that this prophecy was fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. But we also see it fulfilled wherever the Gospel is preached and new peoples become members of God’s family, the Church. Today we rejoice that it was fulfilled in this land. Through the preaching of the Gospel, you too became part of the great Christian family.
Isaiah’s prophecy invites us to look to our own families, and to realize how important they are in God’s plan. Kenyan society has long been blessed with strong family life, a deep respect for the wisdom of the elderly and love for children. The health of any society depends on the health of its families. For their sake, and for the good of society, our faith in God’s word calls us to support families in their mission in society, to accept children as a blessing for our world, and to defend the dignity of each man and woman, for all of us are brothers and sisters in the one human family.
In obedience to God’s word, we are also called to resist practices which foster arrogance in men, hurt or demean women, and threaten the life of the innocent unborn. We are called to respect and encourage one another, and to reach out to all those in need. Christian families have this special mission: to radiate God’s love, and to spread the life-giving waters of his Spirit. This is especially important today, for we are seeing the growth of new deserts created by a culture of materialism and indifference to others.
The Lord makes us another promise in today’s readings. As the Good Shepherd who guides us on the paths of life, he promises to make us dwell in his own house for days unending (cf. Ps 23:6). Here too, we see his promise fulfilled in the life of the Church. In Baptism, he leads us beside restful waters and revives our soul; in Confirmation he anoints us with the oil of spiritual joy and strength; and in the Eucharist, he prepares a table for us, the table of his own body and blood, for the salvation of the world.
We need these gifts of grace! Our world needs these gifts! Kenya needs these gifts! They strengthen us in fidelity amid adversity, when we seem to be walking “in the valley of the shadow of death”. But they also change our hearts. They make us more faithful disciples of the divine Master, vessels of mercy and loving kindness in a world wounded by selfishness, sin and division. These are the gifts which God, in his providence, enables you, as men and women of faith, to contribute to the building up of your country in civil concord and fraternal solidarity. In a particular way, they are gifts which must be shared with the young, who here, as elsewhere on this great continent, are the future of society.
Here, in the heart of this University, where the minds and hearts of new generations are being shaped, I appeal in a special way to the young people of the nation. Let the great values of Africa’s traditions, the wisdom and truth of God’s word, and the generous idealism of your youth guide you in working to shape a society which is ever more just, inclusive and respectful of human dignity. May you always be concerned for the needs of the poor, and reject everything that leads to prejudice and discrimination, for these things, we know, are not of God.
All of us are familiar with Jesus’ parable about the man who built his house on sand, rather than rock. When the winds came, it fell with a mighty crash (cf. Mt 7:24-27). God is the rock on which we are called to build. He tells us this in the first reading, and he asks us: “Is there a God besides me?” (cf. Is 44:8).
When the Risen Jesus says, in today’s Gospel, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” ( Mt 28:18), he is telling us that he, the Son of God, is himself the rock. There is none besides him. As the one Saviour of mankind, he wishes to draw men and women of every time and place to himself, so that he can bring them to the Father. He wants all of us to build our lives on the firm foundation of his word.
That is why, after his resurrection and at the moment of his return to the Father, Jesus gave his apostles the great missionary mandate which we heard in today’s Gospel: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”.
And that is the charge which the Lord gives to each of us. He asks us to be missionary disciples, men and women who radiate the truth, beauty and life-changing power of the Gospel. Men and women who are channels of God’s grace, who enable his mercy, kindness and truth to become the building blocks of a house that stands firm. A house which is a home, where brothers and sisters at last live in harmony and mutual respect, in obedience to the will of the true God, who has shown us, in Jesus, the way to that freedom and peace for which all hearts long.
May Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the rock on whom we build our lives, guide you and your families in the way of goodness and mercy all the days of your lives. May he bless all Kenyans with his peace.
“Stand strong in faith! Do not be afraid!” For you belong to the Lord.
Mungu awabariki! (God bless you!)
Mungu abariki Kenya! (God bless Kenya!)
(from Vatican Radio)…
Pope Francis met Thursday with the leaders of various fairth groups in Nairobi as part of his pastoral visit to Africa.
Please find below the full English text of the address which was delivered in Italian:
Address of His Holiness Pope Francis
at the Ecumenical and Interreligious Meeting
Apostolic Nunciature, Nairobi
Thursday 26 November 2015
Dear Friends,
I am grateful for your presence this morning and for the opportunity to share these moments of reflection with you. In a particular way, I wish to thank Archbishop Wabukala and Professor El-Busaidy for their words of welcome offered on your behalf, and on behalf of their communities. It is always important to me that, when I come to visit the Catholic faithful of a local Church, I have an occasion to meet the leaders of other Christian communities and religious traditions. It is my hope that our time together may be a sign of the Church’s esteem for the followers of all religions; may it strengthen the bonds of friendship which we already enjoy.
To be honest, this relationship is challenging; it makes demands of us. Yet ecumenical and interreligious dialogue is not a luxury. It is not something extra or optional, but essential, something which our world, wounded by conflict and division, increasingly needs.
Indeed, religious beliefs and practice condition who we are and how we understand the world around us. They are for us a source of enlightenment, wisdom and solidarity, and thus enrich the societies in which we live. By caring for the spiritual growth of our communities, by forming minds and hearts in the truths and values taught by our religious traditions, we become a blessing to the communities in which our people live. In democratic and pluralistic societies like Kenya, cooperation between religious leaders and communities becomes an important service to the common good.
In this light, and in an increasingly interdependent world, we see ever more clearly the need for interreligious understanding, friendship and collaboration in defending the God-given dignity of individuals and peoples, and their right to live in freedom and happiness. By upholding respect for that dignity and those rights, the religions play an essential role in forming consciences, instilling in the young the profound spiritual values of our respective traditions, and training good citizens, capable of infusing civil society with honesty, integrity and a world view which values the human person over power and material gain.
Here I think of the importance of our common conviction that the God whom we seek to serve is a God of peace. His holy Name must never be used to justify hatred and violence. I know that the barbarous attacks on Westgate Mall, Garissa University College and Mandera are fresh in your minds. All too often, young people are being radicalized in the name of religion to sow discord and fear, and to tear at the very fabric of our societies. How important it is that we be seen as prophets of peace, peacemakers who invite others to live in peace, harmony and mutual respect! May the Almighty touch the hearts of those who engage in this violence, and grant his peace to our families and communities.
Dear friends, this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council, at which the Catholic Church committed herself to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue in the service of understanding and friendship. I wish to reaffirm this commitment, which is born of our conviction of the universality of God’s love and the salvation which he offers to all. The world rightly expects believers to work together with people of good will in facing the many problems affecting our human family. As we look to the future, let us pray that all men and women will see themselves as brothers and sisters, peacefully united in and through our differences. Let us pray for peace!
I thank you for your attention, and I ask Almighty God to grant to you and your communities his abundant blessings.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) After a brief but vibrant welcome ceremony at the airport and a private colloquium with Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta, Pope Francis immediately delivered a wide ranging and hard-hitting discourse to political and civil authorities and to members of the diplomatic corps, a discourse that – as Holy See Press Office Director Father Lombardi pointed out during the evening media briefing – was really a discourse to all the people of Kenya.
It contained many of the themes that he is expected to address during this 6-day African journey. It featured his concern for the youth who represent the future and are – he said – the most valuable resource of the nation; it highlighted his belief that violence, conflict and terrorism feed on fear, mistrust, and the despair born of poverty and frustration; it voiced his appeal to men and women of goodwill and to political leaders to work for reconciliation, peace, forgiveness and healing; and – above all – it spoke of the grave environmental crisis facing our world and of the urgent need to take responsibility for creation and to exercise a just stewardship of the gifts we have received.
Afterwards, as he travelled in an open pope-mobile to the Nairobi Nunciature to rest for the night, he was blessed by the opening of the African skies and a downpour fit for a Pope.
His first appointment on Thursday morning was an ecumenical and interreligious meeting. It was a particularly important moment in a nation as multi-cultural as is Kenya and where different religious communities and religions play a pivotal role in shaping a peaceful, free and democratic society. To the leaders of different Christian confessions and other faiths he reiterated his firm belief that religions play an essential role in forming consciences, instilling profound spiritual values and training good citizens dedicated to the common good.
He also recalled the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue in the service of understanding and friendship.
“As we look to the future,” Pope Francis concluded, “let us pray that all men and women will see themselves as brothers and sisters, peacefully united in and through our differences.”
“Let us pray for peace!”
Listen:
(Linda Bordoni is reporting from Nairobi.)
(from Vatican Radio)…