Towards the end of the season of Advent 2022, our confreres in Kenya were busy preaching a parish mission in Kayole, Nairobi. It was an attempt to revive the parish missions in Kenya after a decade. The mission was preached both in English and Swahili.
Prior to the mission week, there was a discussion with the parish priest, the parish council, and SCC leaders to plan the different programs of the mission. Accordingly, in the mornings we had special sessions for different age groups, starting with children up to ten years of age, high school students, youth groups, young adults, and single mothers. In the evenings, the sessions were open to all. The two-hours Mass and Mission preaching, from Monday to Saturday, was attended by a number of faithful. Every day priests sat for the sacrament of reconciliation before and after the mission. During the day the sick and old were visited at home and administered the sacrament of reconciliation and holy communion.
We also had marriage covenant renewal for couples, healing of the sick, and consecration of the parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Of course, the devotion to Mother of Perpetual Help and St. Gerard Majella was also highlighted by way of distributing holy pictures of MPH and medals of St. Gerard.
On the last day of the Mission, we also had the privilege of having Fr. Piotr Chyla, the Director of the Center of Redemptorist Spirituality in Rome. He was in Kenya to conduct a seminar on Redemptorist spirituality for our students and confreres. He participated in the sacrament of Reconciliation and the concluding Eucharist. Our students of Philosophy and Theology also were present for the last two days of the mission.
Confreres now feel quite confident to preach parish missions after a long time. We are now planning a number of missions during Lent.
Paul Pazhangattu, C.Ss.R.
Mission Superior, Kenya
