A Catholic Bishop has encouraged citizens in child-bearing age to consider getting more children to help the church get more priests.
He said there is an acute shortage of those in religious calling and that married couples can help bridge the gap by bearing more children.
Speaking at St Peter and Paul Cathedral church during the ordination of eight priests and one deacon, Bishop Paul Kariuki of Nairobi, Kenya said a decline in population could hamper the church’s evangelisation and humanitarian work in the future.
“We are asking our Christians especially those who are having children to be generous, to have more children. Let us not be afraid because of the economy. People are afraid and they have one or two children.
“Let us have a large family of three, four, five or even more so that we can have people to serve this country. Those countries that didn’t take this seriously are dying slowly by slowly. Let us not be cheated by matters of economy; large families are also source of strength,” he said.
He said many countries where people no longer bear many children are now suffering, with most of them seeking for priests abroad.
However, the bishop urged parents to be actively engaged in the upbringing of their children so that they are morally upright and follow the Christian ways.