“Life is about moving forward,” Bishop John Oballa Owaa of Ngong Diocese in Kenya, counselled YCW leaders in a homily on 29 October 2024.
Bishop Oballa was presiding over the blessing and opening of St Stanislaus Eor-Ekule Catholic Church, an outstation of St. Joseph the Worker Nairagie Enkare Catholic Parish.
In your faith journey, Bishop Oballa told YCW members in his homily, do not wait “until old age to get closer to God; that time is now.”
“Continue upholding your faith in Christ, your Savior and Redeemer, regardless of your situation, whether employed or not, facing joy or struggle,” he said, alluding to the challenges young adults face in the East African nation.
The movement that is under the patronage of St Joseph the Worker is made up members who “strive to create or nurture things that will outlast them.”
They are guided to be guided by the commitment to “making your mark on the world by caring for others, as well as through creating and accomplishing things that make the world a better place,” the Kenyan Catholic Diocese indicates on its website.
In his homily, Bishop Oballa called upon young Catholic adults under his pastoral care to let Jesus Christ be their light and hope.
Jesus Christ “invites you to listen to His Word, participate in His mysteries, and receive Him for spiritual nourishment,’ he continued.
He also cautioned YCW members against the tendency to hesitate “to transition” to the Catholic Women Association (CWA) and Catholic Men Association (CMA) when they turn 40.
“When you reach 40, it’s time to transition,” he said, noting that “many say, ‘the transition is challenging,’ and people want to stay on into their 40s, feeling safe as YCW.”
“No, life is about moving forward,” the 66-year-old Kenyan Catholic Bishop emphasized during the October 29 Eucharistic celebration at which he conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation to 148 candidates and commissioned new YCW, CWA, and CMA members.
He encouraged young Catholic adults to “transition to the next group so you may continue to defend your faith there as well.”
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The Time to Be “closer to God … is now”: Catholic Bishop in Kenya to Young Christian Workers (ACI Africa)