Catechesis is
a programme is meant to teach faith and doctrines of the church; as well
as to prepare the faithful for Sacramental life. Catechists have a central
role in this and in helping the priests in evangelization work.
With the surge of faith
in our diocese new challenges of evangelization are opening up every other
day. First, the proliferation of sects and evangelical ministries
equipped with an array of sophisticated information technology gadgets, seeking
converts from catholic faith.
In addition, some
traditionalists view the growth of the Church as a threat to their
retrogressive traditional practices and beliefs, and therefore, they have
turned their fury against the church. In some instances, our faithful have been
physically assaulted or forced to participate in some traditional rites and
oaths just to humiliate their faith!
Our Church must face
these challenge from these traditionalists; sects and from Islam, with
enthusiasm and deep knowledge of its truth and identity. Our Catechists are in
the forefront of this struggle. The need to empower our catechists with the
right and deeper knowledge of the Gospel, and traditions of the Church is
imperative in order to build their capacity and equip them properly.
Catechists
Formation: Formation of our
Catechists (full time) is done at Mbitini catechetical Centre, in the
neighboring diocese of Machakos. However as a way of cutting costs and increase
the number of trained volunteer catechists in the diocese at the same time, a
new In-service training programme that was developed in the pastoral programmes
has seen the diocese now train its own catechists locally in a one year-long
certified programme that is done in three phases, in December, April and
August.
The programme is supported by our friends of Kitui, Nairobi
Group. This is a group of professionals from our Diocese who work in Nairobi,
who have come together under the umbrella of friends of Kitui to prop up our
pastoral ministry.
This programme is facilitated by competent priests, and trained
catechists. This training programme targets catechists from all over the
diocese, with Parish-based training programmes being conducted on the request
of a particular parish.
Currently, nearly each
of the 24 parishes has one full time Catechist and several others in voluntary
service. So far, we have 191 catechists who have undergone the In-service
training. Overall, we have 308 volunteer catechists teaching faith in our
parishes. This number is far too low compared to the demand. It is the
intention of the pastoral Office to have at least one catechist per every
single outstation in the entire diocese with over 700 outstations.A big
challenge is the financial support to achieve this.
Nevertheless, through
this revitalized catechetical programme, the diocese has over 241,000 baptized
Catholics, a number that is increasing rapidly. In 2006 alone over 5200
catechumens were baptized, with hundreds more being confirmed.
