Mission Engagement as a Strategy for Mission Sustainability: Evidence from the Catholic Diocese of Marsabit, Kenya

Catholic dioceses operate in increasingly complex social, economic, and pastoral environments characterized by resource constraints, changing community needs, limited external funding, and growing demands for effective mission delivery. Mission engagement provides dioceses with mechanisms for involving church members, local communities, government agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders in the planning and implementation of mission activities, thereby strengthening institutional resilience and long-term mission sustainability. This study examined the effect of mission engagement on mission sustainability in the Catholic Diocese of Marsabit, Kenya. The study was guided by stakeholder Theory. A positivist research philosophy and explanatory cross-sectional research design were adopted. Quantitative data were collected from pastoral personnel in the Catholic Diocese of Marsabit using structured questionnaires, while qualitative information was obtained through interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation and regression analysis. The findings indicated that respondents strongly agreed that church members actively participated in mission activities (M = 4.11, SD = 0.89), the Diocese collaborated with local communities (M = 4.05, SD = 0.92), and maintained networks with government and development partners (M = 4.08, SD = 0.90). The overall mean for mission engagement was 4.03 (SD = 0.93), indicating a high level of stakeholder engagement in mission activities. Regression results established that mission engagement had a positive and statistically significant effect on mission sustainability (p < .001). Mission engagement emerged as the strongest predictor of mission sustainability among the capacity-building dimensions examined in the broader study. The findings demonstrate that active stakeholder participation, community collaboration, strategic partnerships, and engagement with government and development partners can strengthen the Diocese's capacity to sustain its pastoral and development activities over time. The study concludes that effective mission engagement is an important strategy for enhancing mission sustainability in the Catholic Diocese of Marsabit. It recommends that the Diocese strengthen participatory approaches to mission planning and implementation, deepen partnerships with local communities and development actors, and establish mechanisms for sustained stakeholder involvement in mission programmes.

Mission engagement, mission sustainability, stakeholder participation, Catholic Diocese, pastoral ministry, Marsabit, Kenya

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