Bishop warns against cattle raiding in Kenya

To help us appreciate the vast array of problems bishops throughout the world have to face in their various dioceses, I quote this article by Catholic World News:

Nairobi, Jan. 19 (CWNews.com) - Thirty-eight people have been killed in a deadly cattle raid in northwestern Kenya, where leaders of the Catholic Church have been expressing concerns about such violence.

The attack comes barely two weeks after Bishop Patrick Harrington of Lodwar, a remote region in northwest Kenya, warned the raids were a causing fears among his people. "Let the 2006 be the year for a real change of heart, and let us continue to hold peace meetings with our neighbors that will really change relationships and
bring about true cooperation," Harrington had said.

Read the complete story.

Consider for a moment that Pope Benedict has to elect not only American bishops any given week, but also bishops for the rest of the world, and they all have to be suitable to the various unique challenges presented by the social situations of their diocese. This might help us the next time we lament the fact that he does not seem to always have an omniscient apprecation for the candidates for any vacancy.

Now, I realize that the Pope has a team of advisors (as well as a whole congregation) to help him in this task - but still, I think it helps us narrowly-minded American Catholics remember what the governance of a world-wide Church really entails.

If you are interested in more information about bishops' events on the global scale, Catholic-Heirarchy updates an excellent page detailing diocesan events past, present and future.

Upcoming events in the U.S. just for this month:

20 Jan Ordained Bishop Ralph Walker Nickless, Bishop of Sioux City, Iowa

25 Jan Ordained Bishop Alexander King Sample, Bishop of Marquette, Michigan

2 Feb Ordained Bishop George J. Rassas, Titular Bishop of Reperi, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, Illinois

15 Feb Installed George Hugh Niederauer, Archbishop of San Francisco, California

17 Feb Ordained Bishop, Randolph Roque Calvo Bishop of Reno, Nevada