Effective Communication of Vincentian Christology in Modern  Kenya.

Musolo  Ochola, John

Effective Communication of Vincentian Christology in Modern Kenya.

Files

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OF VINCENTIAN CHRISTOLOGY IN MODERN KENYA.pdf(721.87 KB)

Date

2005

Authors

Musolo Ochola, John

Publisher

Tangaza University College

Abstract

In the 16 th century, France witnessed the great saint of the poor, Vincent de Paul, who is said to "have done works of six saints in his life." Vincent lived during one of the most spiritually and apostolically fertile periods in European history. As a visible part of the counter-reformation ferment: Vincent joined with a number of other remarkable personalities in France who changed the religious face of the country in a space of one generation. The seed that he planted in caring for the poor centuries ago still grows in the third millennium through the work of Vincentians. In fact, that is what this paper is all about: how the work of Vincentians in Kenya today would be well mirrored to Vincent's understanding of Christ's mission. Vincent's vision of Christ was that he is the missionary of the Father, who empties himself of his condition as the Son of God in order to free his people from bondage, both corporeal and spiritual. Vincent saw the fullness of Christ's mission in the Lucan narrative 4:16-30, which is also called the "Gospel in miniature" because it foreshadows both the ministry and the fate of Jesus through out the gospel. He even took the words of Jesus "...he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor..." as the motto of his life and of the Congregation of the Mission he founded. Questions that abound in my mind include: How is this charism fulfilled through the ministry and lives of the Vincentians in Kenya today? And what can we do to truly live and propagate the same spirit of this holy man? It is now 25 years since the Vincentians first came to Kenya. After spending some time in the Congregation and having observed and reflected on the works of Vincentians, I thought it appropriate to know the charism deeply and see how it could or should affect the lives of Kenyans deeply divided along economical and social lines. Chapter one deals with the arrangement of this paper and the motivation behind it. Chapter two describes the Kenyan situation. In this chapter I make a brief historical analysis of the imbalance that we witness in Kenyan society today. I then explore the real state of affairs today and how a proper teaching to people of values espoused by Vincent can help bring about equality. Chapter three continues in the same vein, presenting the •r Christ of Vincent and calling all of us Kenyans to take a second look at what that understanding can do and what it did in the unbalanced society of France. Chapter four discusses how the media can be effectively used by Vincentians in their bid to work with and for the poor. It takes into consideration the major impact the media has today in Kenya and how it is a vital tool in highlighting the inequalities that abound all around us.