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Archbishop Philip Anyolo of the Nairobi Archdiocese in Kenya. / Credit: Nairobi Archdiocese
ACI Africa, Nov 20, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA).
The archbishop of Kenya’s Archdiocese of Nairobi has turned down financial donations that the country’s president offered to a Catholic parish, stating that the Church will not be compromised by offers from politicians who seek to use church fundraising events for self gain.
In a Nov. 18 statement widely circulated on social media platforms, Archbishop Philip Anyolo Subira declined over 5 million Kenyan shillings ($38,500) that President William Samoei Ruto offered to Soweto Catholic Church on Nov. 17. The cash gift was meant for the construction of a new rectory at the parish.
The president further gave the parish choir and the Pontifical Missionary Childhood a 600,000 Kenyan shilling ($4,600) cash reward and promised to donate a bus to the parish, both of which the archbishop has also declined.
In the statement, the archbishop explained that the “political donations” to the Soweto Catholic Church are in violation of Kenya’s Public Fundraising Appeals Bill 2024, which requires fundraising appeals to have a permit.
“These funds will be refunded to the respective donors,” Anyolo said, adding in reference to the president’s pledge: “The promised additional 3 million [Kenyan shillings, $23,256] for the construction of the [pastor’s] house, as well as the donation of a parish bus by the president, are hereby declined.”
He said that members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) have consistently maintained a firm stance on the matter of politicians donating money to churches, highlighting the ethical concerns and the need to safeguard the Church from being used for political purposes.
“The Catholic Church strongly discourages the use of church events such as fundraisers and gatherings as platforms for political self-promotion,” Anyolo said. “Politicians are urged to refrain from turning the pulpit into a stage for political rhetoric, as such actions undermine the sanctity of worship spaces.”
The archbishop said the Church is called to uphold her integrity by refusing contributions that may “inadvertently” compromise her independence or facilitate “unjust enrichment.”
Making reference to the letter that KCCB members issued on Nov. 14 calling out the government for ignoring “pertinent unresolved issues,” Anyolo said “political leaders are urged to demonstrate ethical leadership by addressing the pressing issues raised by the KCCB.”
He reiterated KCCB members’ message saying that politicians should address issues such as political wrangles, corruption, politics of self-interest, violations of human rights, and freedom of speech as well as “the culture of lies.”
Anyolo also recalled the KCCB’s call to Kenyan politicians to pay attention to issues surrounding the National Health Insurance Fund and what they described as “unfulfilled promises, misplaced priorities, selfish agendas to extend terms of elected leaders, and over-taxation of Kenyans.”
The archbishop said the Church must remain a neutral entity, free from political influence, to effectively serve as a space for spiritual growth and community guidance. He said that while politicians are welcome to attend church for their spiritual nourishment, they must do so as ordinary Christians, “without leveraging their positions for political gain.”
This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.
(RNS) — These are the worst Cabinet picks in recent memory. Jews, in particular, should pay attention.
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The widespread oppression of Jewish students and faculty across college campuses is coming from powerful and mainstream centers of authority, fueled by overseas money. Against such overwhelming force, Jews need a revolutionary spirit.
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Jimmy Lai’s wife, Teresa (left), and retired Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to attend Hong Kong activist publisher Lai’s national security trial in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. / Credit: AP Photo/Chan Long Hei
CNA Staff, Nov 20, 2024 / 16:00 pm (CNA).
Catholic human rights activist Jimmy Lai on Wednesday took the stand in his national security trial in Hong Kong, arguing in his own defense as he faces life in prison over allegations of sedition against the communist Chinese government.
Lai, 76, was first arrested in August 2020 under China’s newly instituted Hong Kong national security law. He has faced multiple trials since his arrest and has been convicted on multiple charges of unlawful assembly and fraud.
Advocates have argued that the charges are politically motivated. Lai, through several media enterprises including the long-running Apple Daily newspaper, has for years been a vocal pro-democracy voice in Hong Kong media, with Apple Daily itself encouraging citizens to participate in numerous pro-democracy demonstrations over the years.
Chinese Communist Party officials, meanwhile, allege that Lai has engaged in what they claim is seditious activism, in part by allegedly advocating for Hong Kong’s independence from mainland China.
At his trial on Wednesday, Lai denied allegations of sedition. “All I was doing was carrying a torch to the reality,” he told the court of his publishing activities.
“The more information you have, the more you’re in the know, the more you are free,” he said.
The publisher also denied that he had ordered the Apple Daily to continue as usual after his arrest. “I had written to them, asking them not to take risks,” he said.
The activist further disputed that he had colluded with the U.S. government in 2019 when meeting with then-Vice President Mike Pence.
“I would not dare to ask the vice president to do anything,” he said. “I would just relay to him what happened in Hong Kong when he asked me.”
Wednesday’s trial comes after the Tuesday sentencing of 45 other Hong Kong democracy activists, all of whom received stretches of up to 10 years in prison under the national security law.
Lai is a Catholic. He converted to Catholicism in 1997 and was received into the Church by Cardinal Joseph Zen. The cardinal was present at the trial on Wednesday, sitting with Lai’s family members, according to the Associated Press.
His yearslong imprisonment has drawn international rebuke, including from supporters in the United States. Last December the Congressional Executive Commission on China urged the U.S. government to sanction Hong Kong prosecutors and judges if they fail to release Lai.
The trial “is a political prosecution plain and simple and another sad example of the Hong Kong government’s increasingly repressive policies,” the commission said.
Father Robert Sirico, a Catholic priest and founder of the Michigan-based Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, told CNA in December 2023 that he “[doesn’t] have any hope” that the Chinese Communist Party will let Lai walk free.
”I want to be hopeful. I love the man,” Sirico said. “I have a deep respect for him. I’m inspired by his bravery. But I know what he’s up against.”
More recently, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said in a report that the Chinese government should “release Mr. Lai immediately.”
The working group said the government should mount a “full and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr. Lai and to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of his rights.”
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