LOCAL NEWS - 24 .4. 2011 - BY EKENO SAMMY - Hundreds turn up to celebrate Easter Sunday at St. Augustine's Cathedral.

Bishop Dominic kimengich of the Diocese of Lodwar today joined hundreds of believers who turned up to celebrate Easter Sunday at St. Augustine's Cathedral church. This was marking bishops first Easter mass since his ordination as the bishop of Lodwar Diocese. Speaking to the congregation, Kimengich urged Christians to pray to God and also for him without seizing so that they may get guidance saying that it is only through prayers that we can all be nearer to our creator. He told Christians on how possible it was to see, Christ our savior if only they put trust and deep faith in him, like the way Mary and Magdalene believed in him emerging the first ones to witness the risen Christ after dying on the cross for our sin. However, he encouraged Christians to stand firm and live together as brothers and sisters in peace, saying that a family that prays together always stays together since God is neither tribal nor violent but he is the God who wants to unite all of us. His lordship also advised all the youth to take part in community development for the sake of their society and avoid later regrets of their deeds.

Local news - 20.4.11 - By Mary Tioko - The clergy from all over the Diocese attend Chrism Mass at St. Augustine's Cathedral.

The priests from all over the diocese of Lodwar today Attended chrism Mass at St. Augustine's cathedral parish. The Christians from St. Augustine's cathedral parish joined them in the mass that was presided by His lordship Dominic Kimengich. The mass which is celebrated every year unites Christians to Christ in their prayer life. Speaking in his homily, his lordship said that the mass helps the priests and the entire christian community to renew their vows in Jesus christ. His lordship said that Christians can become like Jesus himself when they do his will. When addressing the priest he said that they have a special obligation to obedience , chaste celibacy, and faithfulness to Jesus christ which they vowed to emulate in their priestly life. He said that the mass brings peace and love, thus urged the priests to bring the love of christ to all they serve in their respective parishes. Bishop Dominic also said that the ministry of christ is the ministry of God and thus priests and religious have to be faithful to this ministry by being available to the people whom they minister to. His lordship said that celebration of Eucharist should be done with sincere hearts and devotion and thus needs preparation. He called upon the clergy to meditate on their vows and the promise they made of teaching the faith. He assured them the protection of Jesus himself in the work they do since they are the children of God, who is full of compassion and love and cannot abandon them. The bishop blessed the three oils, the anointing of the sick which brings comfort to the sick, the catechumen oil which prepares them for baptism and confirmations and the chrism oils which is used in ordinations and anointing of churches and alters. The priests later collected the chrism oils to their parishes.
His lordship wishes all a happy Easter!

LOCAL NEWS – 27.6.10 - JESUS CHRIST CALLS US TO FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT THING - BY MARY TIOKO

Christian faithfuls of St.Augustine's Cathedral Lodwar today received homily from Fr.Francis Teo who elaborated on the days readings and gave example of the authority and power of Elija who called Elisha and gave him all his authority and immediately replaced him but Jesus calls us to freedom and He still has the authority as he is the one that was , is now and shall be. Christ calls us not to replace him but to be his followers. When christ freed us he wanted us to be free from all bad things and always choose to do the right things in our lives. All of us desire freedom in our lives. Youth also need freedom and in this, parents always restrict them because sometimes they end up choosing wrong things. Sometimes in our relationship we want freedom .Even priests want freedom from their Bishops but they are loyal to them. Now, the question we are supposed to ask ourselves is freedom from what and why we want it for? He said that In the standards of the world freedom means a lot . Fr. Francis Teo gave the christians an example of the new proposed constitution where people want to be left free to decide on what they want to do with their bodies to an extend of wanting to legalise abortion forgeting that their bodies are temples of the Lord. He continued to inform the congregation on the stand of the Church on Abortion saying it is “NO” and encouraged the faithfuls to stand and defend life by Voting against it come August 4th. He said that most people perform abortion for the fear of responsibility , shame and guilt. The standards of the world entails all this and that is why they use short cuts to terminate life of new born babies through abortion. He emphasized that the freedom we need should not create division, wars, hatred, Guilt, e.t.c. But should help us to do good. He finished by saying that God calls us to freedom to do good things always. Let us reflect on this call of Jesus to do good to avoid sin and evil in our day to day lives. AMEN.

Local News – 16.05.2010 - FOLLOW THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHRIST: CHRISTIANS ADVISED. By OKOTH PETER

Christians have been advised to follow the footsteps of Christ in whatever they do to nurture their Christian life. In his Homily, during the holy mass that was celebrated at St. Augustine's Cathedral, Lodwar Parish, Fr. Simon Mutai, said that Christ humbled himself when he came to live among mankind and agreed to die on the cross so that the Will of God be done.

He said that in order to follow the footsteps of Christ there was need to act like Christ did, our words be the words of a good Christian and thoughts be those based on Christ's way of life.

He further said that there was need to focus one's life on the Holiness of Jesus Christ and be ready to participate in the things that help to make one's faith grow. Christ's Ascension to heaven was marked today.

Meanwhile, St. Augustine's Cathedral, Lodwar Parish Administrator, Fr. Francis Teo had expressed his gratitude and that of the church officials to all Christians who have positively responded to their appeal to contribute towards the completion of the stalled latrine project. The Church officials said that there still other things that were still needed and appealed for more donations so that the project could be completed before the ordination day.

Local News – 09.05.2010 - Love Thy God and Thy Neighbour: Christians Advised. By OKOTH PETER.

Christians have been advised to adapt Christ's greatest Commandment of loving thy God with all thy heart, soul and thy mind and also loving they neighbour as you love thyself. In his homily during mas at St. Augustine's Cathedral today, Fr. Francis Teo who is the Parish Administrator and Vicar General, said that it was important for Christians to improve their faith and relationship with God through love.

He said despite the fact that there are numerous problems that surround people and their neighbours, sometime leading to soar relationship, there was need to extend this love to them.

Local News – 02.05.2010 - CATHEDRAL CHOIR SINGS ITS HEART OUT. By OKOTH PETER.

St. Augustine's Cathedral Choir, under the directorship of Gabriel Momanyi (Church Council Chair), guidance of its teachers, Charles Rasare and Martin Kaaman, today proved that its determination to excel in the field of music was real, when it kept christians clapping and stamping their feet as they swayed to their melodious music.

The mass, which was celebrated by His Lordship Bishop Patrick Harrington, assisted by Deacon Godfrey Naika (SMA), was kept lively by the choir right from the start to the end.

Commenting on their latest improvement, one of the christians who declined to be named said that the choir's recent improvement was something to be proud of and called on fellow christians to support it by either joining it or contributing towards its projects.