The visit of Pope Benedict XVI next March to Cameroon shows that Africa has reached maturity in the Christian faith, Cardinal John Njue of Kenya has said. Speaking to APA in an exclusive interview in Nairobi, Njue said that although Christianity in Africa is relatively young, the Pope’s visit will encourage African church leaders to carry the torch of a strong moral leadership to restore the dignity of its citizens.
“His visit will also be a celebration of many years that Christianity has thrived in the African continent,” he said, adding that the visit will consolidate African Christian way of thinking together.
Njue who is also the Archbishop of Nairobi noted that the Pope’s visit will also increase social teachings such as abortion and corruption in the continent.
He noted that abortion is a western agenda and cannot be compatible with the African culture.
Meanwhile, speaking to APA separately, Father Francis Kinuthia of the Archdiocese of Nairobi, said that the church will never allow the ordination of women as it is not allowed.
“Jesus himself never ordained his mother or Mary Magdalene,” he said, adding that Jesus left the hands of the church to Peter, one of his disciples to carry out the work of the church on earth.
“Peter was the rock of the church meaning that the power of Christ was handed over to a man,” he remarked.
He also further pointed out that a priest can never marry and gave the example of Kenyan priest, Father Godfery Sylvester Shiundu who was in 2007 ex-communicated from the Roman Catholic Church for marrying.
“Father Shiundu went ahead and abandoned his church despite having made a commitment as he took his calling as a priest,” he said.
Asked whether the influence of the church is waning especially among young people in Kenya, he said that the church cannot change its way of teachings to attract the young and admitted that young people are flocking to evangelical churches in their droves as opposed to mainstream churches.
He further admitted the rate of new conversions is not as high as expected but added the mainstream churches are still relevant in the Kenyan society.
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(Source: APA)