Impact of Philothea Mission in my Life

Paulina Mutua
Former Employ, Kenya Railways

How can anyone who is old be born again? John 3:4

Paulina Mutua (Former Kenya Railways; currently working at Don Bosco Boys Town for young girls)

I am Paulina Nduku Mutua, a parent of one daughter. Life to me was and is a continual struggle with many challenges and difficulties, but now with Jesus and Mary by my side.

It was not until 2009, when upon going to the Post Office Box to check my mail, that I discovered Jesus Christ leading me to a newer path of perception of Him as the Compassionate Saviour.

Just before this I had been living a normal life with its many difficulties and the many options to solve them. I studied well under the careful scrutiny of my parents, up to degree level. Like every graduate, I found suitable jobs. About the year 2007, I was out of active employment. I immediately embarked on a business venture, but was not successful. At the same time, I had to adjust drastically. While I was going through this difficult situation, I would always check mails for any job opportunities as well as check at the post office box.

It was in early in January 2009, that I found an invitation to attend a celebration of the Feast of St Francis de Sales scheduled on 25 January 2009. Immediately, my heart was filled with a certain calm and joy and I heard my heart say, “Yes, this is in fact what I had been looking for and I did not know.”

So I made plans to go to Kiserian Centre for the celebration. It is here I met Fr George, the Spiritual Director and Sr Florence, now the Formation Director. I had been brought up in a Catholic family, my parents ensuring that each one of us received the necessary sacrament up to Confirmation ie the three Sacraments of Christian Initiation. Advancement into reception of other sacraments was entirely up to me. I would often go for Mass every Sunday, listen to the Word of God and Homily, but was not partaking of Holy Communion. I would go back home and knew something was not complete. Slowly I resigned to this situation. Then, my partner was a non-Catholic, and each one went to their denomination. One time about 2008, we separated.

 During the retreat, all those who had been invited were taken through the mission goals towards formation of the laity. I joined the formation programme, which is a three part series of Be Free, Be Holy, Be One. It is a process of recognizing the addictions that enslave one knowingly and unknowingly, and keep one separated from Christ and his teachings and from the sacraments.

I learnt the role of Spiritual Director and the role in helping one to get back into real communion with the Body of Christ, the Church, especially through worthy confession and breaking from the slavery that keeps one from receiving the Holy Communion. Through this process I was able to be readmitted back and find newness in my life of faith. Today, I can say I strive towards remaining in this goal. The Catechism teaches us that “God created me to Know Him, to Serve Him, to Love Him and to be Happy with Him in Heaven.” This is the goal each one strives to achieve.

At the end of the programme and after good examination, I took my first profession as a Philothea Lay Missionary. I remember one of the requirements was to give your baptism card. The Baptism card is what enables one to show some proof of journey in faith. I remember saying, ‘I am just a simple person, the only thing I have is my baptism card.’ I immediately realized the role my parents had in my faith journey and that I did not do anything more when left on my own!! I always thank God for my parents. To God is the glory!! The core of the Philothea Mission is inner transformation through formation of the laity. Before this encounter, I was living the usual common way of “addictions” and the distance it created between me and attainment of this goal. Today, I can say “I could not have done it on my own.”  Jesus said, “Cut off from me can do nothing” (see, Jn. 15:5). Sin, ignorance and passiveness in life cuts one from Jesus and from the eternal goal promise.