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DOMRADIO.DE: In your parish St. Mary's in Changamwe, a suburb of Mombasa in Kenya, there is a project called "One Church One Family", which was launched by Auxiliary Bishop Dominikus Schwaderlapp. What help does the project offer?
Father David Kaluah: "One Church One Family" emerged from the collaboration with Bishop Dominikus when he was with us in Changamwe. He worked with us as a priest in the parish. He took part in meetings of the Small Christian Communities, said Mass and helped to organize the various pastoral activities for women, men, young people and children. During these various pastoral activities, the auxiliary bishop became familiar with the great challenges facing the people in our parish - financially, spiritually and in other aspects of life. He had the idea of helping to alleviate this need.
DOMRADIO.DE: What does this help look like in concrete terms?
Kaluah: We have identified several areas where help is needed. For example, school fees for families who are unable to pay them. Or help with urgent costs for health, rent or food. And also hygiene products, such as sanitary towels, for girls and women. The project is still going very well and is a great help.
DOMRADIO.DE: What does this aid mean for the local people in your home country?
Kaluah: "One Church One Family" is a very useful project and it was a great gift that Bishop Dominikus initiated it. It really helps the people a lot in view of the many challenges they face. Bishop Dominikus came to us during the Corona period. During this time, many people suffered greatly because they lost their jobs and there were many deaths. The project is still helping a lot today.
DOMRADIO.DE: You have already mentioned the Small Christian Communities that exist in the Church in Kenya. What characterizes them?
Kaluah: The Small Christian Communities are part of the identity of the church in Africa and especially in my Kenyan home diocese of Mombasa. In the past, it was often said that the family is the domestic church. In the Small Christian Communities, Christian families come together to witness their faith as a church. They are linked to the respective parish and are looked after by it. When I started my ministry in Changamwe in 2012, we only had 13 such communities in the parish. Over the years, this number has grown to 30. The communities have to be small so that their members know each other. There should be people from no more than 15 different families. This enables them to pray together, offer each other help and share life. They meet once a week, listen to the word of God and comfort each other when life strikes. Each Small Christian Community organizes the church service in the parish on a Sunday. This is very important for them and creates a connection to the entire church community.
DOMRADIO.DE: How are these small communities organized?
Kaluah: In each community there is a leadership group of nine believers. At least that's how we do it in the parish in Changamwe where I worked. In addition to the chairman and a deputy chairman, there is also a secretary and a treasurer. But there are also other ministries, such as representatives for children and youth work or the liturgy. The offices are allocated by election for three years.
DOMRADIO.DE: How do the Small Christian Communities help the faithful to grow in faith?
Kaluah: In the past, Catholics in my home country of Kenya have been accused of not knowing the word of God. Scripture reading is the core element of the Small Christian Communities because it gives everyone the opportunity to listen to the Word of God, read it together and relate it to their own lives. When sharing the Bible, the members of the community tell each other which verses have particularly appealed to them. The Small Christian Communities enable Christians to live their faith fully and actively. This would certainly also be a way for the church in other countries, such as Germany, to revitalize faith. It doesn't take much and it is very easy to bring communities into being. Catholic believers who live in the same neighborhood can meet without complications. The meeting procedure is always the same: there is a prayer, then the Word of God is read, followed by spontaneous intercessions and announcements. It's not particularly difficult and it's all based on the Catholic faith and the tradition of the church.
The interview was conducted by Roland Müller.
