Kisii regional Catholic Church leader Bishop Joseph Mairura on Wednesday urged families to remain united, prayerful and resilient amid growing social and economic pressures.
He said strong family values are the foundation of a stable society.
He called on parents and guardians to reclaim their role as moral anchors, particularly for young people facing uncertainty, unemployment and negative peer influence.
“Families must be places of love, dialogue and faith,” the prelate said.
“When the family is strong, the Church is strong, and when the Church is strong, society stands firm.”
Bishop Mairura was speaking during an end-year homily for Catholic men faithful at Cardinal Otunga Mosocho Parish.
He also spoke against abortion and same-sex marriages, which he described as a scourge in society.
“Abortion is a vice that must be abhorred in all its forms. We should prevent anything that harms children, even while they are still in the womb,” he said.
He appealed to couples to resolve conflicts peacefully and protect the institution of marriage, warning that family breakdowns often leave children vulnerable.
He further urged men to prioritise their wives and children above everything else.
“Do not entertain opportunities that disconnect you from them. Enjoy every moment with them as long as you live. Let us draw strength from our families,” Mairura said.
He praised families that continue to uphold Christian values despite modern pressures and encouraged them to serve as examples within their communities.
The end-year mass drew hundreds of faithful from across Kisii County, with worshippers thanking the Church for providing spiritual guidance throughout the year.
“Let us go into the new year as families rooted in faith and love,” he said, “ready to rebuild, heal and grow together.”
The bishop implored the faithful to anchor themselves firmly in Christ, whom he described as a safe harbour for all humanity.
“Only through Him can we cross into the new year and navigate the turmoils of this life,” he said.
Mairura emphasised that marriage as an institution must be safeguarded and jealously protected.
“We must protect and nurture it. We take refuge in it. It is our first school, where we all learn the earliest lessons of nature,” he said, adding that mothers should be appreciated for their nurturing role.
The prelate urged parents to practise selflessness, especially in financing their children’s education, and called for compassion for those deprived of parental love and care.
He warned that darkness thrives in families lacking love and urged sobriety in parenting.
“Do not always raise your voices in anger against your children,” he said, recalling his own upbringing under a father who was a World War II soldier and ruled his household harshly.
Bishop Mairura also said the elderly and grandparents form an important extension of society and must be supported.
“Many are dying of hunger when we have opportunities to alleviate their suffering,” he said.
He spoke on the need for unity in polygamous families, urging children and spouses in such households to work together for collective harmony.
The bishop encouraged men to solemnise their marriages through holy matrimony, noting that the Church recognises couples married in church.
He also called on employers to pay better wages to enable parents to provide adequate healthcare and care for their families.
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