“…this experience brought to life the reality that we are all one human family.”
The meaning of solidarity with the global church came alive for three members of the Oblate School of Theology community in June after a week-long visit to Kenya sponsored by Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Dr. Victor Carmona and second-year theology seminarians James Hernandez and Pedro Martinez visited the Kenyan capital of Nairobi and several outlying communities from June 1-9. Two faculty and two seminarians from other U.S. seminaries accompanied them.
The group visited a peace-building project and water, sanitation and hygiene project at the Ndurarua Primary School, both in Nairobi; the Shepherds of Life agency which ministers to orphans and vulnerable children in Archer’s Post; a water and sanitation project near Isiolo; and CRS’ rangeland support activities to optimize grazing lands at the Nasuulu Conservancy.
Hernandez, from the Diocese of Corpus Christi, and Martinez, from the Diocese of Fort Worth, worked with CRS during the past year. This led to the opportunity for the OST trio to visit Kenya. “I’d had some experience of the needs in different countries, but seeing the kind of programming done by CRS and partners such as Caritas was different,” Hernandez commented. “They benefit people in a very long-term way; it’s not just throwing money at problems; it’s also walking alongside people as they work to solve their own issues. It’s an integration of relief, development and promotion of justice,” Hernandez said.
Dr. Carmona, Assistant Professor of Moral Theology, said the experience showed the bonds of solidarity between the American church and a part of the global church. “For me, this experience brought to life the reality that we are all one human family. It showed how solidarity from people here in the United States builds solidarity among people in these countries overseas,” he observed. “This is part of living the Gospel. We can pray for people to have clean water, but working with them so they can get it is a necessary next step.”
Tribal and interreligious violence plague communities where politicians pay unemployed youth to instigate riots on behalf of political parties before elections, he said. “A parish works to teach youth productive skills so they can help their parents provide for their families.” Peace-building also includes bringing Muslim and Christian communities together for dialogue and teaching them how to work together and to realize that violence is not the only way to solve conflicts, Dr. Carmona explained.
The delegation visited a coffee farm owned by the Archdiocese of Nyeri. Money raised by the sale of coffee, tea and other products funds various ministries and helps the seminary. “I was stunned—they do so much,” he said. “CRS supports them, providing know-how. The fact that they’re funding that seminary and several parts of their social justice ministry speaks volumes for how solidarity builds solidarity.”
Martinez said the visit was an important part of his formation in Catholic social teaching for the priesthood. He noted that CRS leaves decisions of what resources are needed to local leaders. It provides resources to which the local communities would not have access otherwise and remains to see how they work and how situations can be improved.
*Photo: OST delegation with new friends in Kenya during Catholic Relief Services-sponsored trip. Photo courtesy of CRS.