Praying together and holding family meetings will help reduce many problems experienced in the society, Cardinal John Njue said yesterday.
Njue appealed to families to exercise responsibility and pass on values to those in their communities.
“Always come together, hold family gatherings, but most importantly pray for one another,” Njue said.
Njue was addressing faithful at Blessed Sacrament Catholic church in Nairobi’s Buru Buru.
He said many problems such as depression can be solved when families converge and support each through prayer.
Many Kenyans are undergoing hard times hence the need to speak out, Njue said.
“Always do everything with the target of being better and moving ahead. In everything you do aspire to move forward and not backward,” Njue said.
His calls come at a time when the country is experiencing a spike in suicide cases mostly as a result of depression.
Suicide is associated with mental disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and alcohol and other substance abuse.
A World Bank report released last year showed that a total of 1.9 million depression cases were reported in Kenya by 2015.
The report ranked Kenya as the sixth country with the highest number of depression cases among African countries.
“The youth should be ready to profess their faith in their daily lives. Your Christian commitment will bring hope and great pride,” he added.
The WHO approximations show that more than 300 million people are affected by depression globally and the condition is linked to the suicides of more than 800,000 people each year.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 15-29.
(Edited by O. Owino)
