Bachelor of Arts in Theology

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    Challenges in Evangelization Among the Youth in Embu Diocese
    (Tangaza University College, 2005) Erastus Njagi, Nthiga
    What is known as Embu Diocese presently was a part of Meru diocese. Embu became a diocese only in 1986 under the leadership of Bishop John Njue; The Salesians of Don Bosco Set foot on what would be later called Embu Diocese in 1980 to be a part of great force in evangelization among the youth started by the Consolata Fathers in 1920s.2 My essay is organized in four areas each of which provide a broad view and insights to possible solutions to challenges in evangelization. In Chapter one I will try to bring out the essential elements in evangelization and their implications. The nature of each of the elements will be explained in relation to evangelization. I will attempt to show how these elements could affect evangelization if they are not accorded their due importance. Lastly I will indicate how these elements lie within the plan of God for humanity. In Chapter II, I will expound how young people could fail to acquire the essence of evangelization. In this section under review will be youth and the evangelizer, youth and catechesis, and youth and communication. In Chapter III I will investigate how the nature of the evangelizer is a pastoral challenge while Chapter IV will be my recommendations and lastly conclusion.
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    YOUTH SCCS: A Critical Analysis of How the Youth SCCs can be an Effective means of Evangelization in
    (Tangaza University College, 2004) Mwanza, Silvester
    In my first three years as a student in the Society of African Mission (SMA) 1995-98, I was involved in the weekend apostolate with the SCCs in my home parish, St. Charles Lwanga in Kabwe, Zambia. My work involved visiting the SCCs and helping them in anyway they wanted. However, I was intrigued to discover that in all the 30 SCCs I visited, most of the Youths and most of the Men were missing. During a couple of occasions, 1 tried to ask the members who were present of which the majority where women as to why there was an apathy especially among the Youths. The answer 1 got was that 'the Youths of nowadays are just too difficult to understand. We have tried to encourage them to come but all our efforts have been fruitless'. On one or two occasions, I tried to engage my Parish Priest on the same issue but his response was that, 'the Youths of these days have rebelled against the church. We just hope the Holy Spirit is going to intervene soon'. These responses never satisfied my whims. Therefore after four years, I decided to revisit the same issue through this opportunity, which we have been given here at Tangaza College. I was motivated to analyze critically this issue and find out what are the main reasons, which make the Youths not to attend the SCCs. I chose the Youths because I believe that the quality of Church of tomorrow depends on the quality of the Youths of today. This has been my main goal in this research; to try and go to the root causes that make the Youths lose interest in participating actively in the SCCs and then try and offer some suggestions on how this apathy could be alleviated.
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    Impact of the Radio and Television in Pentecostal Movements on the Catholic Youth
    (Tangaza University College, 2005-02) Jenga, Fred
    The permanent bureau of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar meeting in Accra Ghana in 1993, issued a document New Christian Movements in Africa and Madagascar' in which it observed that contemporary Africa is witnessing an explosion of new religious movements. Mainline Churches such as the Catholic Church have been greatly affected, losing substantial numbers of the youth to these new groups. The new movements are promising quick happiness, contentment and purpose in life to the hundreds of thousands of young people they are attracting into their ranks. This constitutes an urgent pastoral challenge to the Catholic Church.
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    A Retreat Conference on the Gospel Message to the Youth
    (Tangaza University College, 2007) Kidus, Weldegiorgis
    This retreat on the Gospel message is for the youth aged approximately between 17-25 years. The youth are not a separated group of people but they are a group that forms part of the church, as the people of God. As a matter of fact, the youth are challenged by the present world's situation and not being committed to Jesus in the Church. Yes, the youth are the future leaders of the Church and the society at large but something hinders them not to accept this fact and see forward. Some youth are incapable of realizing their good talents in them. At timcs they appreciate the Church less; to the extend of being pessimistic. Many Christians rather Catholic youth take Christian life just for granted. They think to be a Christian, the most important thing is just to be baptized, and that is all. And they forget to take seriously their responsibility of following Jesus in whom they are baptized as Christians. Those who don't have strong faith, try to move from one church to another. At last they even lose their little faith they have in God. Therefore, it is everybody's responsibility to understand them and give quick solutions to their challenges; and also to accept them as they are.
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    Youth towards a Theology of Reconstruction: A Salesian Perspective
    (Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Augustine, Jacob
    As we march with courage in this new era of science and technology, a century full of hope and great expectations, the youthful population of Africa, a valuable asset in hand charged with aspirations to excel and participate in the affairs of the world, challenge all those who are involved in youth ministry on the African soil. The education of the young with which a youth minister involves himself/herself should involve a 'liberating and empowering' method, a method that challenges the young to set the world on the move towards liberation. The words of Pope John Paul II in his address to World Youth Day 2000 speak of such pulsating response that is required of a person interested in the affairs of the world. "When you return home," says the pope, "do not grow lax. Reinforce and deepen your bond with the Christian communities to which you belong... paraphrasing St. Catherine of Siena's words, reminds you: if you arc what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze'?" In response to the existing educational. socio-political and religious challenges that the African landscape faces today, the African theologians (since I990s) speak of "reconstruction of Africa" in their theological investigations. Likewise, having the interest of the young at heart, every Salesian is challenged to respond to and to educate young people towards this reconstruction project. How are we to venture into such renewal in spirit? What does it mean to be young and work for reconstruction by setting the world ablaze? Are the young just future possibilities and never a present potentialities, dying to participate in this reconstruction process? what are the possibilities for a Salesian style of ministry in Africa in this era of 'reconstruction'? These are some of the queries that will be dealt with in this essay. The adventurous, emotional and dynamic youth population is indeed a weapon in our hands to reconstruct a new Africa. Most of the time we x iew the period of the young as having a lot of problems and hence giving' becomes the end of all our youth ministries. This essay is aimed at showing not just how young people are sometimes seen as a problem. but also how they are people filled with energies to transform society. This quest to transform should be ‘iewed as a 'reconstruction project' which e need to inculcate in the young. The essay. is divided into two parts. Part one deals more with the theoretical part of the emerging theology of reconstruction and the Biblical foundations to such theology in Africa. Second part deals with the response of the Salesans of Don Bosco in Fastern Africa. Based on the Salesian educative method of Reason. Religion and Loving Kindness,2 this section shows how a breakthrough is necessary, in terms of a - reconstruction project' in our youth ministry, today. The concluding part of the essay discusses possible developments in the Salesian presences in the Eastern African province.
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    The Youth's Search for a Home in the Church a Pastoral Challenge In The Church's Mission to the Youth
    (Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Luis Dimba, Joao
    In the encyclical on the Mission of the Church, Redemptoris Missio, Pope John Paul IT includes the young in the list of priority issues of mission ad gentes. Mission to the youth of this "New worlds and new social phenomena" is being carried out in a "complex and changing reality2 and there are more than enough signs suggesting that the youth lack Christian communities that are sufficiently mature to help them live their full potential. Many youth in the Church need "re-evangelisation" or "new-evangelisation" because, although baptised, they have either not yet developed or have lost a living sense of their faith and they truly live a life far removed from Christ and from his Gospel? The Church has "not yet taken root in the youth." And, the culture of the youth has "not yet been influenced by the Gospel."4 Hence, the youth are still searching for a home in the Church. The urgency of mission to the youth cannot be ignored because both the present and the future of the Church belong to them. On the other hand, the youth, besides having special needs and requiring special approaches they have the right to know God and what He has done for them and for all in and through Christ.'
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    The Impact of Counselling Youth in Parishes In Nairobi Catholic Archdiocese
    (Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Mafuguene, Lucia
    The purpose of this research was to find out the impact of counselling youth in Archdiocese of Nairobi. It was conducted as case studies in Guadalupe Parish and Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. The targeted population was the youth. The respondents provided useful information as to whether counselling youth in parishes has a positive or negative impact. The research reflects the need for an integrated formation for youth because of the many challenges they face in today's society, and have no adequate formation like that of tradition African society. Through the questionnaires and interviews given to the youth and leaders, it is evident that the youth long for a formation that would bring them integration in their lives, a formation that will help them take charge of the events that happen in their lives and not let the events take charge of them. The findings from the data collected show that the youth in parishes long to have a trustful and skilled counsellor who can be the point of reference and, through individual listening to them know how to solve their problems. A parish formative youth counselling program, seems to be considered an urgent need from the parish leaders and youth themselves. However, to apply a formative youth counselling program in the parishes, will need to have premises and personnel. The findings have shown that some parishes have the premise for such a formation but others do not have it. However, the leaders' willingness to support such a formation is a hope that it is possible to use it as long as the parish leaders and the entire community plan for it. It also shows that the leaders see the urgent need for such a formation because it will be beneficial to their young people, in the hope that, through their witness something will change in their lives. What other impact would counselling bring than to help the youth be fully alive and human? This is the greatest impact counselling offers to the youth in the present society.
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    The Impact of Consumerism on Youth in Laini Saba Kibera-Nairobi
    (Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Norbert, Lesa
    Since 1998 I have been working in the Catholic Parish of Laini Saba, in the Kibera slum, with young people between the ages of 14 and 30 years. Kibera slums had a population of 600,000 in 1998, representing 25% of the whole Nairobi population. It is one of the most congested slum settlements in Kenya with an average population density of 2,300 persons per hectare. Laini Saba alone was estimated to have a population of 40,000 in 1998. Kibera is a conglomeration of temporary dwellings, most of which are small mud-plastered rooms. Usually one family lives in one room. It comprises nine villages; Shilanga, Lindi, Laini Saba, Soweto, Makina, Mashimoni, Gatwikira, Kisumu Ndogo and Kianda. Kibera's residents are marginalized, underpaid and unemployed poor people who have no social security and are exposed to all kinds of social abuses. They experience the bitter realities of poverty that cause gross inequality, deprivation and malnutrition.' The organization of this essay is around three topical areas, each of which are aspects of the question under study. The three areas each provide an opportunity to gain insight into possible answers to the question of consumerism. Chapter One will investigate consumerism and its implications. The definition of consumerism will be given as the basis for the whole essay. The history of consumerism in the West will be explored from different perspectives used by different scholars, each in search of an answer to when, how, and why consumerism began. Finally I will consider how consumerism has entered the fabric of an African society, and look at the effects on the African society in general. Chapter Two will look closely at the susceptibility of youth to the influence of consumerism. The sections to be tackled are: Youth as victims of consumerism, in which I will try to show how this group is the most at risk. I will also look at the influence of mass media on youth, with all the cultural changes it has brought. Consumerism and youth morality will be covered also, since this is in line with the effects of consumerism on the behaviour of young people. Finally, the last section will deal with youth and traditional African values. Traditional African values vary from place to place. The most noticeable ones, common to many cultures, are respect for elders, initiation rites, songs and the dances etc. Whether youth are for or against these African traditions will be my main concern. Chapter Three will tackle consumerism as a pastoral challenge. This part has two sections: the first, young people and the Church in the consumeristic society tackles the problem of the Church's response to the culture of modernity and youth. The second section will be on consumerism and new evangelization in a society affected by this culture of modernity. The understanding of the term "New Evangelization" will be dealt with as viewed by different people. Occasionally, I may have recourse to a general approach as far as the young people are concerned, and not to be restricted to Laini Saba group. This will be in line with the common characteristics of this group. Finally the terms `Kibera' and 'Laini Saba' will be used interchangeably, to mean only one thing, "slum", in my case Laini Saba village.
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    Drug Abuse among the Youth
    (Tangaza University College, 1998-02) Mulenga, Clement
    This Long Essay was prompted by one main consideration; namely, that the non-medical use of drugs is rampant among the Kenyan youth. This has affected not only the youth themselves, but also their families and society at large. In other words, what the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been saying for over three decades about trends in the world as a whole is seen to be increasing in the specific case of Kenya. This problem has also been re-echoed persistently by the Kenyan mass media. Our concern was that the precise character and magnitude of the drug problem among Kenyan youth has yet to be adequately documented and addressed. We directed our research study precisely to our youth in some Don Bosco schools and youth centres. This research study, whose results are recorded here, will render a great help to us in order to evaluate the prevalence of drug abuse among our Don Bosco youth. The findings reported here are based on the responses obtained from a randomly selected sample of Nairobi City and Embu town One of our most significant findings is that according to their frequencies, the four most abused drugs are alcohol (57), khat (30), cannabis (12) and opium/heroin (10). Another outstanding element is that out of the total percentage of respondents (100%), 43.8% were drug abusers. On the basis of these and other findings, we conclude that any campaign against drug abuse in Nairobi City and Embu town must focus primarily on alcohol, khat, cannabis and opium/heroin. Based on the foregoing and other inferences, we conclude that any campaign launched in Nairobi and Embu against the drug menace should address their availability and accessibility. The youth, who are the most vulnerable sector of the Kenyan population, must be seriously sensitised. This should be done through the mass media, seminars, workshops, counselling and by creating youth activities. Let us take note that one must be extremely careful about how one handles a media campaign against drugs to avoid arousing curiosity among the youth. However, this risk is surpassed by the likely benefits of such a campaign. A focus on availability of the drugs of abuse would appear more promising.