NAIROBI OCTOBER 27, 2015 (CISA) – Bishop Anthony Muheria of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui has said Pope Francis visit to Kenya shall be a new dawn for the country.
“It means a lot that the pope listened to the invitation of the bishops, his simplicity and how he reaches out to people is going to be a new dawn for Kenya, looking at how we relate with one another,” Bishop Muheria said today during an interview with CISA.
Bishop Muheria who is also the Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Machakos said he hoped that the Holy Father’s presence “will bring newness to all of us not just Catholics but every Kenyan.”
“I believe Kenya will be very different, and the Kenyan citizenry will perceive what we tell them very differently. We will be able to speak to the leaders from a very different platform after the pope’s visit because we will be able to demand of them and it will be something that will give us a new impulse,” he said.
The bishop further said that the pope’s visit is important because the papacy is a moral point of reference of what should be good and bad.
“He is tthere to stir up the conscious and to guide humanity along the right path. For us in the Church the pope is a common Father, given the role to confirm us in the faith. To others no matter their religion, he is an ambassador of peace,” said the bishop.
Bishop Muheria who is a member of the steering committee for pope’s visit and part of the team overseeing the infrastructural arrangements said preparations for the visit are on course including creation of the podium that will be used during the Papal Mass.
“We were a bit worried that we will not finish on time but it’s a beautiful design and the architect and engineers have done a great job, and I am sure we will be proud of what we have for Mass,” said the prelate.
The bishop also urged Kenyans to open their hearts and listen to the message the pope brings.
“It’s a message of God and a message of the ambassador of peace. Listen and let it be arched in your hearts and incorporate it as part of our Kenyan history and culture,” he said.
