Challenges Facing Marriage Institution Among Catholic Faithful in the Archdiocese of Nairobi

Abstract

Christian marriage reflects the growth and continuity of the church towards maturity. It is a highly respected rite of passage which gives the participants an identity as a married couple. In a unique way it helps individuals to participate in mutual selfgiving of one’s beauty, talents, capabilities and possessions. The communal nature of marriage ceremonies, the solidarity and sharing embodied among believers around it, make Christian marriage admirable, affordable, and enjoyable. The Christian marriage rites unite husband and wife to the entire community. Therefore, Christian marriage is deeply connected with societal values of love, hope and future and it is hence accorded a special position among the sacraments of Christian initiation as being paramount in the society. At the same time, looking at marriage today, one identifies several signs that render its spousal bonding and unity wanting. Its deeply religious structure, cohesiveness and values are exposed to freedom and secular values leading to permissiveness and times loss of its spiritual identity, separation among couples and a level of pessimism towards it in the society. This paper analyses some of the challenges faced by Catholic faithful in the Archdiocese of Nairobi in relation to marriage institution by examining selected social environmental factors such as how couples spend time together vi-a-vis professional and work engagements, individual background and up-bringing. It makes a number of recommendations for strengthening of the institution of marriage in the Archdiocese.