The car took another turn. This time I was sure that the next turn would be at the Sagana Parish. We had left Nairobi at half past seven and in roughly an hour’s time were already in Sagana, where the celebrations of the Consolata feast were to take place. The weather had not changed much over the few previous weeks and there were signs that it would be getting chillier. As we arrived at Bethany house, it was evident that the preparations were complete, though a few novices could be spotted here and there making final confirmation that all was well.
The compound was well adorned that you could almost read the name “Consolata feast” on the sky. Yes, it was 20th June the day of Consolata our mother and she truly deserved it.
At ten o’clock we all gathered at the hall of Bethany house, where the re-elected regional superior, Rev. Fr. Franco Cellana, after a word of prayer by deacon Mkado welcomed everybody present to Sagana. After this, Fr. Baudena, one of the jubilarians of the day gave a short talk on holiness. Among the many things he said in his talk, Fr. Baudena insisted that holiness is not a one day activity, neither was it a one dimensional activity. It was an integral life long journey towards perfection, which involved not only meditation of the word of God but also practicing of the acts/works of mercy. Quoting our founder, Bl. Joseph Allamano, Fr. Baudena emphasized the fact that holiness requires a Full, energetic and constant will. In other words it was not something for the frail hearted. Aware that this could easily be understood to mean that holiness was solely human effort, Fr. Baudena cautioned that trust in God was fundamental if this kind of a journey was to bear any fruit. Quoting the psalms, Fr. Baudena reminded us that if the lord does not build the city, the workers labour in vain. With this, he called on all of us to both put our effort to attain sanctity, but also to place our confidence and hope in the Most High, he who alone can make our efforts fruitful.
After the talk, one of the IMC jubilarians said a word before the jubilarians present and those absent received token of gifts. An MC member who represented the Consolata sisters’ regional superior concluded the session with a word, which also stood for the absent Consolata sisters’ jubilarians. Having recently completed the elections of the regional government of our institute, Fr. Tobias the secretary of the regional council took this opportunity to present the newly elected council members, though most of them were not present due other commitments elsewhere. This opened the chance for the Rt. Rev, Bishop Peter Kihara, to open Irene Nyaatha hall, a new building in the Bethany House compound, meant for seminars and spiritual animation. It was after this that we headed to the Githuguya parish church, where the bishop presided an encouragingly transforming Eucharistic sacrifice assisted by the regional superior, and the outgoing regional vice superior Fr. Vedastus Kwajaba.
After the Mass, we found our way back to Bethany house, where a banquet prepared by Our Lady Consolata waited us. There were all sorts of delicacies, drinks ranging from soda, beer to wine and a variety of fruits. Sharing went on as the eating took place, and with time people began shedding off their extra clothing, a sign that the chilling weather was no longer being felt. Smiles and laughter filled the air and most of us could not stop imagining Our Lady of Consolation blowing a warm wave of air in the compound. After the meal, well fed and ready to move, people could be seen bidding each other good-byes. By half past three we were on our way back to Nairobi, definitely loaded with happy moments of the feast of our mother- Our Lady of Consolations.
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