Kenyan Catholic Bishop Proposes Youth Involvement in Church’s Decisions: “Not just implementers”
Bishop Henry Juma Odonya of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops is advocating for greater youth involvement in Church governance. He argues that young people should be active participants in decision-making processes rather than just implementers of directives.
Why it matters
This reflects a broader movement within the Catholic Church to modernize its synodal processes and increase inclusivity for younger generations.
Nairobi, 21 July, 2026 / 6:54 pm (ACI Africa).
The Chairperson of the Youth Commission of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has called for a renewed commitment to listening to young people and involving them in the Church's decision-making processes, saying youths should not merely implement decisions made by others.
In an interview with ACI Africa on the sidelines of the 21st Plenary Assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Bishop Henry Juma Odonya reflected on the Assembly's theme, “AMECEA's Synodal Journey with Young People: Building Bridges of Communion, Hope, Justice and Good Governance.”
“We are here to listen to our young people,” Bishop Odonya said, noting that Bishops and delegates had already spent the first two days of the Assembly engaging with youth from across the AMECEA region.
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