Our date with Pope Francis-Words By Wachira Njenge

When the Youth Chair one Ngure Wanja made an announcement on social media that whoever would like to attend the Papal Youth Address at Kasarani to register early in advance we all had our  names submitted to the Parish Priest the same day.
And when the Friday 27th November reached we were eager to board the Saintie-1 a private hired bus :) as early as 5am and the journey began right there outside the Youth Hall. And in less than 45mins we had already arrived somewhere at the road leading towards the stadium where we joined our peers from across the country clinching on our white invitation cards. Here is glimpse of that memorable  occasion.
As captured by our resident Photographer and Blogger: http://augustinevictor.blogspot.co.ke

A copy of the white invitation card to attend the Pope's address.

Seminarian Mumo led us with a word of prayer before our journey started. 

Judy Mbugua and her friend couldn't let the chilly weather stop them from attending the event.

Walking towards the stadium eagerly.

Hmm how comes the ladies queue was moving??

Selfie tings

Well I can afford a smile even though this queue hasn't moved in twenty minutes.

The young people had one mission to come listen and see the Pope long queue or no long queue.

The anxiety was killing us.

When waiting for Pope took long Peter Matu took a quick nap.

Kenyan and Vatican flags hoisted at Kasarani provided a picturesque moment.

We are here to witness a historic moment

His Holiness Pope Francis arrives at the stadium aboard the Pope mobile.

Too sleepy Nderu had to take a power nap.

Group photo after the historic address.

Tree seedlings were issued to every Parish present at the event in a bid to mark Nov 27th as the day that Pope Francis made his address to young people.

Leadership is all about paying keen attention to those whom you lead.

Our Mashujaa Regina and Bobby also accompanied us to this event.

The journey was tough the shoes couldn't bare with the feet.

Not even the hot sun could ruin their pose as we waited to board the Saintie-1 bus back to Thika.

If I was the Bus conductor for a day I wonder how much I would charge for one squad hmmm...

The Pope Has Landed.

Shepherd1 His Holiness the Pope's official plane taxing around JKIA afterPhoto:PSCU_Digital

Kenyans welcome Pope Francis in mother tongue [Video]

Kenyans are creative here is a short video clip by K24 on how they plan to welcome His Holiness Pope Francis saying it through their Mother Tongue.

The Missal for the Apostolic Journey.

The Missal for the Apostolic Journey to Africa has been prepared for the days that the Holy Father will celebrate Holy Mass in Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic. The Missal contains the readings and hymns for the Mass.

The Holy Father is set to celebrate Mass on Thursday, 26th November at the University of Nairobi grounds at 10 am.

To download the Missal follow the link below
Missal for the Apostolic Journey
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/libretti/2015/20151125-30-messale_kenya-uganda-rca.pdf

Final touches ahead of Pope Francis visit in Kenya

Pope Francis’ special message to Kenyans.

Government declares Thursday Public Holiday To Welcome Pope.

The Government of Kenya has declared 26th November 2015 a Public Holyday and a National Day of Prayer and Reflection.
According to a statement read by State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu, the  government has decided to dedicate it as a national day of prayer and reflection.
As we are privileged to be hosting His Holiness the Pope at the time, he will set the tone for the day,” said Esipisu.

The Pope is expected to preside over an open mass at University of Nairobi grounds.
He will also lead the youth in a forum at the Kasarani Stadium in which youths in their thousands are expected to attend.
Most Kenyans expressed their interest in attending the historical events when the country is hosting a Pope 20 years after the last visit by Pope John Paul II.

www.capitalfm.co.ke

10 Fun Facts About Pope Francis That You Didn't Know.

The man born Jorge Mario Bergoglio is set to make his maiden visit to Africa as the Head of the Catholic Church and Vatican and yes you guessed it Kenya is his first stop.
Here are some 10 interesting facts about His Holiness:

1. He is the first pope to be named on a best dressed list; Esquire magazine named him the 2013 Best Dressed Man.

2. He has a Twitter account;  @Pontifex (FYI) it is verified.

3. Pope Francis once worked as a bouncer; for extra money as a student, he worked as a bouncer at a bar in Buenos Aires.

4. He has only one lung; Francis had life-threatening illness in his youth which resulted in one of his lungs being removed as part of the treatment. According to the Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi he’s in good health now.

5. He had a girlfriend in his youth. Before discovering his religious vocation Francis enjoyed the company of a specific girl in his group of friends.

6. He is a fan of the tango. “I love tango and I used to dance when I was young,” he told the authors of his 2010 biography El Jesuita.

7. He’s a huge soccer fan. His favourite team San Lorenzo de Almagro presented him with their trophy after winning the league title in 2013.

8. He flew economy to Rome when he was elected pope by the conclave of cardinals.

9. Francis is the first non-European to head the Catholic Church in 1200 years.

10. Until there is a Pope Francis II , he will be known as Pope Francis and not Pope Francis I.

Pope Francis the Author.

Did you know that His Holiness Pope Francis is also an author?

In anticipation of his maiden trip visit to Africa Kenya being his first destination come November 25th, 2015 paulinesafrica.org presents these books by his Holiness. They not only offer reflections on various subjects close to the pontiff's heart but also give a deeper understanding of the man himself.

School Sunday Marked With Pomp and Colour. Words by Wachira Njenge

When our resident blogger and photographer(augustinevictor.blogspot.com) floated the idea of animating a high mass donning school uniforms a fort night ago,the idea seemed so out of the box that members were willing to give it a try despite some clearing their tertiary  and primary education some few years ago.
November 15th 2015 will go down In  history as the first ever #SchoolSunday a special Sunday set aside by St. Patrick's Youth Members to animate mass cladding their uniforms from both High School and Primary in a bid to welcome their colleagues who have finished their K.C.S.E to the youth group so as to grow spiritually together

Let me not bore you with my words let these images do the talking.