Young people have been urged to resist worldly desires and social media pressures that lead to poor choices and distract them from their purpose in life.
Speaking during the Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo at St. Augustine Teachers Training College (TTC), Ishiara, in the Diocese of Embu, His Grace Anthony Muheria, Archbishop of the Nyeri Metropolitan, cautioned the youth against curiosity and pursuits that draw them away from Christ.
Archbishop Muheria said excessive social media consumption was contributing to anxiety, the desire to impress others, and pressure to live beyond one’s means.
”Spending too much time consuming irrelevant online content could undermine the mind, imagination and productive time of young people,” he warned.
He challenged the youth to seek meaningful fulfilment through knowledge, prayer and service, urging them to emulate St. Augustine, whom he described as a great scholar whose pursuit of knowledge contributed to his transformation and service to the Church.
The Archbishop also encouraged young people to embrace chastity by maintaining purity of mind, heart and body, saying prayer and service to Christ were essential in building a disciplined Christian life.
Encouraging people to seek professional knowledge, Archbishop Muheria noted that graduates from St. Augustine TTC were highly sought after for the quality education they receive at the institution.
On his part, Rt. Rev. Peter Kimani Ndung’u, Bishop of Embu, urged Christians to emulate the virtues of St. Augustine, saying the college was committed to producing competent and exemplary teachers inspired by its patron saint.
Bishop Kimani also called on the community and the wider Diocese of Embu to support the college’s development projects to benefit its students.
St. Augustine TTC Board Chairperson and Kyeni Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Alex Mati, said the celebration also provided an opportunity to reflect on the institution’s achievements since its establishment 36 years ago.
Fr. Mati said the college was committed to providing modern and relevant teacher education through improved equipment and infrastructure, a statement echoed by the Principal, Rev. Fr. Isaiah Njiru.
The celebrations culminated with a fundraising drive to support the renovation of the college library.