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RETREAT – OUR LATY OV VISITATION YOUTHS’ AT KOMAROCK SHRINU IN NAIROBI KUNYA. Held on 1st November 2009.

Mother Mary is so caring such

that those who respond to the call

of Jesus as her appeal „Do as he

tells you‟ get supernatural

protection under her armpit.

Theme: Role of the youth in the Church. Present:

1. Maringo youths Small Christian Community.

2. Mbotela Youths Small Christian Community.

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3. Government Quarters Small Christian Community.

4. Makongeni Youth Small Christian Community.

Absent

1. Bahati Small Christian Community.

2. Kaloleni Small Christian Community.

MLC present.

1. Chrispus Muema – Education office

2. Ann Kihagi – Temporarity

3. Lorna Mueni - Education

4. Nzuki – Temporarily

5. Sammy - Spirituality

6. Boniface – Temporality.

SM Brothers present.

1. Fr. Richard - Priest

2. Bro Goko

3. Bro Denis

4. Bro Paul

5. Bro Kyalo

6. Bro Maingi

It the key role of Laity and religious to multiply the faithful and draw the young people closer to

Jesus in Love as Mary did

INTRODUCTION.

The main objective of the MLC is to be part of the global community being a community

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of faith and live a life in permanent mission to build society. The MLC of Kenya have for a long time been engaged in activities that facilitate the promotion of a life of faith through facilitating a permanent evangelization. A mini baseline study carried out by the members of the MLC in Nairobi in July 2003 identified the youth as a target group for their efforts of promoting social justice. The target group find themselves stranded in life such that they require emotional, psychological, social and economic empowerment towards self-reliance to enable their participation at all levels of development. As clearly indicated in 2005-2009 International document, the MLCs- CLM are called to live a life of making a difference within communities where they live by responding to the signs of the time, “4.3. Singing the Magnificent with Mary, our communities seek to be open to the Spirit, to stand against injustice, and to proclaim a message of liberation and hope. 4.3.1. We are in solidarity with the poor and marginalized and we work for justice and peace. We promote human rights, human development, inclusive relationships, and ecological values. 4.3.2. We give special attention to initiating and sustaining MLCs in which young people are welcomed. 4.3.3. Our family spirit and the collaboration among all the members of the Marianist Family are our special contributions to the renewal of the Church.

The International Meeting challenges 2009-2013 vows to work to increase the number of youths to actively participate in Church and in community development initiatives. This is the current mission of MLCs of Nairobi- Kenya.

The Marianists of Nairobi has assisted in the formation and working towards

growth and development of 6 Youths‟ Small Christian Communities who were the

key target for the retreat. The MLCs are currently working with 300 young people

from Our Lady of Visitation Catholic Parish- Makadara and also working towards

formation of Faustino group with children of from

6- 14 years of age. Bro. Nandi is working closely with MLCs to design and

develop the program activities. The SMs of Nairobi support each other in this

wonderful work in response to the „Signs of the time.‟

Presentation by Ann Kihagi

Motivational talk.

We make choices in life that make us who we are today. Our happiness or otherwise is a matter

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of choice. In life, we have a dark sport or challenges that we face. it‟s a matter of choice how we

see life. Is it a dark sport or the large white space with scattered spots? Focussing on the bright

space and spots as a matter of choice will brighten our life. Make the right choices and believe in

them.

Talk by Fr. Richard - MARY

Who is Mary?

What can she do for us?

What can we do for her?

Who is Mary?

Jesus told us to go to Mary because he had been raised by her. Mary was responsible for his

formation. Mary new that Jesus was God. She was very willing to take the responsibility of

taking care of Jesus which got her into trouble. She had to watch Jesus be crucified as a criminal.

Jesus became a victim for all the world to be saved from sin. He became a victim so that all

mankind could be set free from sin, from the fear of the devil.

1st prophecy of the messiah - I will cause enmity between you and the woman. Mary is the new

Eve because she is the mother of the living. Jesus became the new Adam, the new source of life

- in the offering of his body as bread and wine during the last supper. At the foot of the cross,

Jesus offered Mary to us as our mother. It Jesus who leads us to Mary. They are the source of

why Christianity exists, why we are here today.

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What can Mary do for us?

In 1981 Mary began appearing in Rwanda to some school girls.

1. She wanted the girls to tell the leaders of the country to stop the hatred and bitterness in their

hearts. To stop the tribalism because they were all her children. They did not hear and many

killings took place there in 1994.

2. She can do more and more for us than we can imagine.

3. Pray the Rosary - ask for her help.

The shrine at Kibeho is as important as all other shrines throughout the world. It is the most

important shrine in Africa. It has been recognized by the Catholic Church as one of the shrines in

which Our lady appeared to school girls.

Messages and Visions

In the visions, Mary emphasized the call to pray the rosary. She also asked for penance and

fasting. A dreadful vision all three girls received became a key apparition leading to the official

acceptance and approval of Kibeho.

These girls reported seeing a gruesome picture: a river of blood, people who killed one another,

abandoned bodies with no one to bury them, a tree on fire, an open chasm, a monster, and

severed heads. The vision is now considered a prophecy of the ethnic genocide that would take

place in the country 13 years later. Tragically, in 1994, visionary Marie Claire became one of its

victims.

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What can you do for Mary?

Become her missionary - tell your friends about Mary. Invite them to Jumuia‟s and church

groups.

Questions:

1. The death of Mary - not known coz it was never written down. There are several stories

about it. The story is that Mary lived with John and traveled to Ephesus. Some stories say she

died in Ephesus others in Jerusalem. What is known is that she died and her body was

assumed into heaven.

2. Did Mary have other children other than Jesus? No. The ones mentioned in the Bible are

other relations such as cousins. She is a virgin even though she is Jesus mother.

3. Are there other prayers that we can talk to Mary through other than the Rosary? Yes. One of

them is the “Seven Sorrows of Mary”

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After Fr. Richard made the presentation about Mary, Bro. Denis guided the Prayer of the Rosary.

The Rosary was participatory in that, all participants said the prayer of Hail Mary in turns.

We later took a lunch break where we shared snacks and drinks in family spirit. The MLCs and

SMs made financial contributions to be able to provide for the retreat snacks and drinks. The

participation and sacrifices strengthened the Marianist family unit.

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GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Group 1

Role of the youth in the church

1) Spread the gospel

2) Cleanliness

3) Vocations

Challenges

Peer influence

Inferiority

Negative attitudes from parents

What good can come out of the youths?

Funds

Bad influence - abuse of drugs

Lack of knowledge - not knowing Jesus

Unwillingness of youth to participate - grew up in the Catholic faith

Solutions

Assistance needed to identify their talents and vocations

Join groups

Moral support from elders

Recognition

Financial assistance

Protection

Creating employment

Encourage youths to do community work.

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Group 2

Roles

Making the church presentable - cleanliness

Animating Mass

Liturgy

Educating children

Participating in church festivals and activities

Evangelizing / spreading of the Gospel

Challenges

Peer influence

Drug abuse

Discrimination - by elders

Lack of finances

Dominance by elders - they do everything

Lack of well defined roles/guidelines

Lack of counseling

Possible solutions

Creation of employment

Creation of roles/guidelines

Provide civil education and counseling

Give the youth leadership positions in the church

Form youth clubs and groups in the church - activities that the youth can participate in

Support of youth clubs and groups by elders/leaders

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GROUP 3

Roles

Leaders of tomorrow

Participate in liturgy e.g. choir

Formation / vocation

Visiting the sick, homeless, etc

Growing old

Challenges

Lack of interest due to ignorance

Poor religious background

Peer influence

Poor leadership in the church - parish council

Generation gap

Traditional cultures

Modernization - Face book.

Solutions

Good leadership in the church

Leaders to allow and encourage youth participate

Invest in projects that will generate income

Avoid peer pressure - let your friends not choose you, choose your friends

Reading - enhance knowledge (create reading habits)

More educators - Brothers, priests, etc

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We later celebrated Holy

Mass together. This was

actually the climax of the

retreat. How fulfilling

and enriching it was oh

Lord our God!!

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The youth‟s Small Christian Communities were each of the presented with a gift of African Holy

Bible and a copy of the book, „ Growing in the Virtues of Jesus‟ for use during their weekly

meetings. The Bibles and the books were presented as offertory during our retreat Holy Mass and

they were blessed as a Swords of journey of faith.

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WAY FORWARD

Participation of all youths in the Small Christian Communities was said to be a priority action

point. The present members promised to reach out to the reluctant ones.

HOW & WHERE

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Encourage participation of youths in the Jumuiya ( SCC.) doing well/ good behavior, to

share the secret with those not doing well.

For the Jumuiya which is in ICU (Kaloleni) look for a different strategy. The inactive

members to be visited for encouragement and re-invitation to rejoin the SCC.

Be my sister/brother‟s keeper - see the souls around me as souls that need us

Utilise the presence of the MLC and the SM as support in our challenges.

Action is immediate.

The retreat also entrenched team and relationship building exercises.

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At around 4 p.m, it was the appropriate moment to receive the final blessings by Fr. Richard. Our

spirits, faith, love for mother Mary and relationships well build and harmonized. What a great

day.