The debate on how big the family can be has raised a number of debates. Some families prefer to have a certain number of children in the family. Most of African communities which used to have as many as even ten children in a family are now shifting to have as less as only two. But why?
Justification to this is that the cost of taking care of many children is such a headache to them. Most prefer siring two at most. Some families have even adopted family planning methods just to make sure they don’t get more babies.
Embu Catholic Bishop Paul Kariuki has encouraged the faithful in child-bearing age to consider getting more children to help the church get more priests.
He said there is an acute shortage of those in religious calling and that married couples can help bridge the gap by bearing more children.
Speaking at St Peter and Paul Cathedral church during the ordination of eight priests and one deacon, Bishop Kariuki said a decline in population could hamper the church’s evangelistic and humanitarian work in the future.
“We are asking our Christians especially those who are having children to be generous, to have more children. Let us not be afraid because of the economy. People are afraid and they have one or two children.
“Let us have a large family of three, four, five or even more so that we can have people to serve this country. Those countries that didn’t take this seriously are dying slowly by slowly. Let us not be cheated by matters of economy; large families are also source of strength,” he said.
He said many countries where people no longer bear many children are now suffering, with most of them seeking for priests abroad.
However, the bishop urged parents to be actively engaged in the upbringing of their children so that they are morally upright and follow the Christian ways.
He said the church has many institutions of higher learning where priests are needed to teach the youth but the low number of the clergy is hampering the goal.
Bishop Kariuki also announced the transfer and reassignment of 22 priests in seven parishes.
The church usually invites young men to take train as priests but the number of those showing interest has been on the decline.
To become a priest, one must be a staunch Catholic of good morals and must have attained at least a C+ in the KCSE exam.
Already, the church has invited those willing to train as a priests to attend a convention in December so that they can learn more about the vocation before making a decision.