Jesuits of Eastern Africa, part 2

Indian Jesuit missionary, Fr. Francis Rodrigues is the administrator of the Pedro Arrupe Community in Nairobi, Kenya, a centre for both retired as well as active Jesuits of Eastern Africa.  Hailing from southern India’s Mangalore city, the 77-year old Jesuit priest came to Kenya in 1978, before the establishment of the Jesuit Province of Eastern Africa in Nairobi in 1986, comprising Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and the Sudan. Last week, in the first of a 2-part interview, Fr. Rodrigues briefly described how missionaries from various parts of the world form a truly international Jesuit community there.  Speaking about the large Catholic community in East Africa, he explained that Catholic and traditional Protestant Churches are losing their faithful to the vibrant and participatory style of worship and prayer of the Evangelicals and Pentecostals.  He also said that Pope Francis, who is visiting Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic end of this month, is extremely popular among Africans.  A feature of African society that Fr. Rodrigues finds very fascinating is that a child is born not to a couple but to a family, a clan or a village that assumes full responsibility of the child even when parents are missing.  He said, the Catholic Church of Eastern Africa that runs numerous seminaries, educational institutions and social services, is vibrant and growing with many local vocations. Well today, in the final part of this interview, we asked Fr. Francis Rodrigues about the various apostolates that the Jesuits of Eastern Africa are engaged in.

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