School of 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.
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.
Youth and Vocation Promotion
(Tangaza University College, 2002-02) Nyalazi, Ruth Christine
Our true and ultimate meaning in life is God who is able to bring us to the realisatiorpof who we are and what our human destiny is in the real sense. Our life is a gift from God. God who created us in his own image and likeness, wants us to become the best we can and to make our world a better place. All of us are created with a particular purpose in life and to co-create and to sustain life in different and various ways. We often ask ourselves in life: How can we know what God wants of us? How can we discover the gifts God has given us? In the family, the basic unit of human society, we experience our first encounter with life in human society. The invitation to full participation in life begins here. As we grow up, we feel the need to be involved in life beyond ourselves, to contribute to the growth of the human society, to care for God's creation and to be life giving. There are challenges to embrace a life that is life giving. To say yes to life and then to live it, we need someone with whom we can share about ourselves and our vocation in life. Vocations are currently flourishing in Africa and this is a blessing. However, it calls for a lot of prudence and courtesy in helping discern genuine vocations. Looking at the situations we face in Africa, we need to assess the surge in vocations with other socio-economic factors like rising unemployment, low standard of education. poverty and war. We need to assess properly the motives of those opting for Religious life/Priesthood. This is a challenge to most African communities, but God calls us from where we are, in the situations we are in. to serve him in diverse ways. No vocational choice is better than the other. Consecrated Iife is an option that is not so much understood in most African cultures; yet more and more young people express their desire to embrace it. How do we help them answer this calling, especially the call to Religious life/Priesthood? This paper will serve as a manual for vocation promoters who need first to know what it means to be involved in this ministry. In Chapter One, we will try to define what vocation is in the context of our times, bringing to awareness that all of us are called to a particular mission in life. We will then go to Chapter Two where we will explore different youth issues that can be of help in making life choices and which vocation accompaniers need to know. Chapter Three follows and we will look at Youth, Environment and Vocations where we see factors that surround them in daily life that can hinder them in realising a genuine response. This calls for vocation accompaniers to journey with young people in ways that will allow them to open themselves to God's prompting through discernment. We will then proceed to Chapter Four by looking at the crucial issues that we need to encounter in helping young people discern vocation to Religious life/Priesthood; where we assess their motives using different way,. The accompaniers need to be aware of elements in discernment and we will suggest a tentative programme for a discernment workshop. In Chapter Five, we will do some theological reflection on vocation promotion. It is here that the vocation stories in the Bible form a basis for our own calling. We will conclude this paper with apostolic exhortations and other documents, which are practical suggestions that address the youth, themselves, parents, men and women of good will and the consecrated people. Vocation Promotion is a work that each of us must contribute to.
Radio, A Medium For Fostering Positive Values Among Youth Negatively Influenced By Rock Music
(Tangaza University College, 2011) Mengo, Charles
This study is Focused on the effects rock and roll music on the project title "Radio as a medium for fostering positive values among the youth negatively influenced by Rock and Roll music that has emerged as one of the popular genres embraced by most youth. We investigated why the majority of the African youth are aping western culture through the adoption of culture behaviors disseminated through the Western Rock genre of music. Instead of countering this culture, it should be used to the advantage of the youth. The first chapter is a scholarly view of the negative effects of Rock and Roll music, its history and development, the reasons foi its popularity and its negative effects. The second chapter contains the research findings on the use and influence of rock in Langata area. The third chapter is an assessment of the findings in the light of uses and gratification theory and proposed recommendations on how radio can be used as the agent for social learning. We have finally come with our implementation strategies for the recommendations.
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.
Discipleship (A Series of Retreat Conferences)
(Tangaza University College, 2006-01-31) Maloba, Charles
The term disciple-mathetai is rather broad. It includes 'apostles,' the twelve,' [c.f. Mt 10:1; 11:1; 13:10, 14:15.22.29, Lk 6:40, 19:161, 'The multitude' or 'the crowd' that trails Jesus, Lk 6:13.17, 19:37 etc. Discipleship is an offer and invitation which Jesus makes to any persons and everyone he chooses; apostles Mk1:16-20 or otherwise Lk 9; 23 and the responses by those called/chosen/invited. Discipleship is an act of God, miracle by divine grace; c.f. Gen 18:14, Zech 8:5-8. A person receives a call to discipleship only in obedience and surrender c.f. Mk 1:16-20, 2:14-17, 3:23-29 Acts 9:1-22. Discipleship and following of God involves whole nation- Israel is called and chosen, groups-apostles, special groups-singers of temple liturgy c.f. IChron. 25:8, families-Simon Peter and his brother James, individuals- Judas Iscariot. Part of this discipleship is follow me, walk after me. This goes on to explain relationship between realities of higher and lower orders, teacher-pupil expressing deference and service of the taught to the teacher or leader-follower indicating loyalty and service of the latter to the former, Jesus-disciple relationship. The new discipleship demands understanding like which Jesus himself shows to his disciples. It is inspired by Jesus and demanded by him. This new discipleship does not fit with the usual rabbinic phenomena prevalent then. Let us have a glimpse of how it is in comparison with the new discipleship that Jesus brings: Jesus calls each person to discipleship. In his time he called groups, individuals- the rich young ruler. And he calls you and me today. The disciple is a person called by God- Jesus to be with him and to be sent our [vertical and horizontal dimensions]. Jesus does not have a specific age which he prefers. Each age is preferable for discipleship. He calls young people as well as older people. He calls different people to different ministries in the church and the world. Jesus calls some people to a very specific ministry in the church and others to very specific professions/ ministries in the secular world. This retreat wants to speak to hearts about discipleship both for lay young people and candidates for religious life and ministry. Retreats are special moments to reach out to people. They can be powerful, life changing events for young people. They have proved to be effective in evangelizing and community building. A retreat provides an environment go grapple with faith issues and learning ways to pray and live. People have opportunities to share their faith stories and build relationship of trust. A retreat can awaken in young people the sense that they have a central place in the church. It assists the young people to discover that the church needs their gifts ad talents and calls them to fuller participation. Again a retreat is a chance for everyone to have lots of fun- a chance to help the young people realize that they do not need computer games, televisions or recreational drugs to have fun. Fun is encouraged in retreats whichever topic may be. The first three conferences are directed to a group of lay young people and how they respond to the discipleship of Jesus amidst all their giftedness and temptations. And the second series of retreat conferences are directed to a group of candidates for religious life. The young people who join religious life think that discipleship waits till they make their final profession and get ordained to the ministry. The two conferences want to show them that discipleship begins immediately a person is called by Jesus. Most young people hold to the fact that discipleship is a reserve for the older people. We want to tell them that it is not necessarily so and that young people are disciples of Jesus. It is time after high school, college, or university, early in employment, jobless etc. They are still grappling with proper self-identity, testing their values, developing character, deciding who they are. This retreat will try to translate the message of Christ into action for everyday living. We need also to encourage them to take what they have learned and live it.
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.
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.
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.'
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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