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June 15, 2022June 15, 2022

KENYA: Bishop Muthaka Urges Youth to Respond Calls to Vocations in maiden Mass

By Odiwuor Opiyo

GARISSA, MAY 10, 2022 (CISA) – Newly consecrated Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Garissa, Rt. Rev George Muthaka OFM Cap., on May 8, urged faithful in the diocese to consider religious vocations to continue growing faith both within the diocese as well as all over the world.

In his homily during his first Mass as bishop, the prelate while also celebrating Mothers’ Day asserted that the day, “is a day to pray for a vocation because we know that the Church needs workers who will continue to spread the gospel to the entire world and we recognize that in our diocese, we need priests and men and women religious who will continue with that work. In a special way, we know that there is a dearth of vocations in our diocese. So today, I urge the youth in our diocese, from Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Tana River to listen to the voice of God and come closer and heed that call to carry out this important work.”

He also urged parents to motivate their children to take up vocations especially those with a calling to a vocation to grow faith in the future maintaining that it is among the priorities forwarded to him by the Holy Father after his appointment.

“We only have three diocesan priests so we have a great challenge as we need more priests to better fulfil pastoral work,” said the prelate who during his installation as bishop intimated that Garissa is geographically the largest in Kenya but with the fewest number of faithful.

“Even when schools close, the youth should attend seminars here where they will be guided on vocation,” urged Bishop Muthaka.

The former first African Provincial Superior of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins in Kenya, moreover, took the occasion to celebrate the mothers in the diocese, with his mother in attendance, on the Sunday of the Good Shepherd. The mass was animated by the Catholic Women Association (CWA) of the diocese of Garissa.

The youngest bishop in Kenya at 47 years, praised “A good shepherd is supposed to provide and to protect his flock…our mothers are the best shepherds since they provided and protected us… so we love our mothers, we cherish you, you are very important to us and God loves you. Thank you so much to our mothers, you are important to the church and our diocese.”

June 15, 2022June 15, 2022

Nuncio in Kenya Cautions against “power, imposition”, Calls for “humility of heart”

Archbishop Hubertus van Megen lays hands on the head of Bishop George Muthaka, during his episcopal ordination May 7 at Our Lady of Consolation Cathedral of Garissa Diocese grounds. Credit: Garissa Diocese

By Magdalene Kahiu

Nairobi, 09 May, 2022 / 8:45 pm (ACI Africa).

The representative of the Holy Father in Kenya has cautioned church members including members of the Clergy against the tendency to refer to authority saying, “The church of Christ does not build on power or on imposition.”

In his homily during the Saturday, May 7 Episcopal Ordination of Bishop George Muthaka, Archbishop Hubertus van Megen also reiterated his previous call for an end to clericalism in the Church.

“Dear George, dear colleagues in the episcopate, brothers in the Priesthood, Religious men and women, dear Christians, let us be humble of hearts,” Archbishop van Megen said.

He added, “That humility of heart we can only acquire when we are able to see our own poverty and insufficiency in the eyes of God.”

Addressing himself to the candidate for the Episcopate, a member of the Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin (OFM Cap.), Archbishop van Megen said, “Dear Fr. George, as a follower of the poor man of God, St. Francis, you are fully aware that we cannot do without the grace of God. In fact, each and every day we are in need of Him.”

“The man who holds an office, a responsibility in the Church, a Bishop, a Priest, a Religious Superior, is even more in need of that grace,” the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya who doubles as the representative of the Holy Father in South Sudan said during the Consecration event held at Our Lady of Consolation Cathedral of Garissa Diocese grounds.

“We the teachers of the Gospel are many times blind to it,” he said in reference to the awareness about the need for God’s grace, and posed, “How often are we leaders of the Church not deceived by the things of this world? How many times do we not fall for the lure of money and power?”

Pope Francis appointed Mons. Muthaka as the third Local Ordinary of Garissa on February 17.

Consecrated on May 7, Bishop Muthaka has succeeded his 77-year-old confrere, Bishop Joseph Alesandro, who first served as Coadjutor Bishop of Garissa Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in September 2012 and as Local Ordinary of the Kenyan Diocese from December 2015.

In his homily during the Episcopal Ordination of the 47-year-old Bishop who, before he was appointed Bishop, was serving as Vicar General, Diocesan Financial Administrator, Director of Caritas, and President of the Diocesan Commission for the Protection of Minors in Garissa Diocese, Archbishop van Megen also cautioned members of the Clergy against the tendency to appeal to power, ruling Christians “with an iron fist”.

He bemoaned the fact that many time Catholic Church leaders have acted as if “we are our own god, as if we are the highest judge, as if we can rule the Christians with an iron fist on behalf of Christ.”

“Let us move away from a clerical Church where it seems that the clergy is a separate caste,” the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya who doubles as the representative of the Holy Father in South Sudan said.

He added, “We Priests, Bishops, Superiors are one with the entire people of God; we are the one Body of Christ.”

“We commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. We are one body of Christ, taking responsibility for each other as Christians, as members of that body, praying for each other, encouraging each other,” the Nuncio said referencing the letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

He continued, “Let us pray to the Lord that He will make his light shine in our hearts so that we may understand the true condition of our soul, of our human existence.”

The Apostolic Nuncio who doubles as the Permanent Observer to the United Nations Environment Program and Human Settlements Program further said, “To be a leader in the church bears many challenges. Any responsibility for that matter is filled with obstacles and frightening choices.”

“As a leader you may have to put your nets into the deep and that responsibility may weigh heavy on your shoulders. We may even be apprehensive or filled with doubts. We may be called to do things that we would rather avoid,” the Dutch-born Archbishop said May 7.

He implored, “Let us entrust ourselves to the prayer of our fellow Christians.”

June 14, 2022June 14, 2022

KENYA: Thanksgiving and farewell mass for Rt.Rev Joseph Alessandro OFM Cap

The Bishop emeritus of the Catholic diocese of Garissa Rt.Rev Joseph Alessandro OFM Cap on June 12 Thanked the faithful of the Catholic church in Garissa for embracing him and making the diocese his second home.

In his farewell speech during his Thanksgiving and farewell mass after many years of apostolate and pastoral work as a priest and a bishop of the diocese the bishop said “..One of the signs that something is alive, is that it grows and moves.sixty years ago I moved from my parents’ home to the capuchin community,then later to other countries and Thirty three years ago to Kenya and now it’s time for me to go back to my roots,not as a person burdened by age but as a bishop enriched by love and faith from the people of Garissa”.The prelate added that “Being a missionary and bishop was and still is a great blessing from God and to whom I should always be thankful, looking at the present and the future I feel very happy that the diocese has grown”.

In his speech the current bishop Rt.Rev George Muthaka OFM Cap commended Bishop Joseph for his humility, love and for nurturing him during the five years they lived together and was committed to follow in his footsteps.he applauded him for the efforts he made in spiritual welfare,and physical development towards the people of Garissa and more so for soldiering on despite all the difficulties he encountered in his ministry.

Bishop Muthaka also expressed his gratitude to the provincial capuchin brothers in Malta who were represented by Reverend fr.Ivan for their continuous support to the diocese and the people of Garissa.the prelate stated that “Through the generous support of the provincial capuchin brothers in Malta we have managed to construct two new learning blocks at the st.mary’s school in Garissa parish, various projects in wajir parish,a church at hola parish among significant projects,so I thank you and appeal to you to continue supporting us”.
He also made an appeal to the superior of the capuchin brothers in Kenya to consider assisting the diocese with priests to help in pastoral work. The prelate asserted that he will consistently continue in exhorting the young people who discern to live a religious life to embrace that vocation because it will help the diocese grow more and also noted that”We would wish to open new parishes but the low number of priests remains a challenge to us”.

The presbytery, religious members and lay faithful commended the bishop emeritus for his humility, love for people and being an understanding shepherd.they promised to keep him in prayer always and beseeched him to come back again and visit them.

The celebration was graced with presentation of gifts by faithful drawn from the entire diocese and beyond, Muslim friends and friends from far,cutting of the cake, common lunch and entertainments from different church groups.

May our good Lord bless Bishop Joseph Alessandro
Bishop George Muthaka
And the entire people of Garissa Diocese.

June 12, 2022June 14, 2022

KENYA: Newly Ordained Bishop of Garissa Diocese Asks for God’s Graces to be a Faithful Servant

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

The newly ordained Bishop of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Garissa Rt. Rev. George Muthaka has in his speech after the ordination on Saturday, May 7, asked for God’s graces to help him serve the people of Garissa and the entire society, as a faithful servant ready to minister to the people.

“I feel unworthy of this great honor, however God your ways are not our ways, your thoughts are not our thoughts, fill me with your holy spirit and your grace that I may truly be a faithful servant to your people as you desire me to be,” Bishop Muthaka a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap) said just after his ordination and continued, “above all may your holy will be done in my life as it is done in heaven, make me a good shepherd in the footsteps of your beloved son.”

Addressing the people of Garissa Diocese where he has been serving as Vicar General before the appointment, the new bishop said he desires to be a good servant whom the Christians will look up to as a father.

“I come to you as a fellow Christian and as your Bishop, I hope you will find in me a father and a good shepherd, I come to serve and not to rule,” the third Prelate of Garissa Diocese expressed his wishes assuring the people of God his availability in a diocese which seem geographically large and yet “the least in number.”

**Bishop of Garissa Diocese Rt Rev George Muthaka during his Ordination**

He asked the people of Garissa, both the Christians and Muslims, to live in peace and harmony so that in collaboration they can witness Christ in their ministries.

“We live among a majority population of our Muslim brothers and sisters. Despite all these, we belong to the universal Church as seen today and we have learned to co-exist,” the successor of Bishop Emeritus Joseph Alessandro narrated while sharing his message with the congregants who attended the event and appealed, “Let us continue to co-exist and live peacefully with our brothers and sisters, let us continue to witness to Christ for he has told us to collaborate with our priests and our religious for the sake of our spiritual growth and for the growth of our diocese,.”

“Be assured of my unwavering support, my availability and accessibility in the spirit of synodality. Let us walk together listening to one another and supporting each other from the youngest to the oldest,” he requested thanking them for prayers and support during preparation to the ordination.

Bishop Muthaka appreciated all those who have supported him in his journey: his fellow confrere, the Nuncio, the Christians the bishops and all people of good will.

KENYA: Bishop Muthaka Urges Youth to Respond Calls to Vocations in maiden Mass

Nuncio in Kenya Cautions against “power, imposition”, Calls for “humility of heart”

KENYA: Thanksgiving and farewell mass for Rt.Rev Joseph Alessandro OFM Cap

KENYA: Newly Ordained Bishop of Garissa Diocese Asks for God’s Graces to be a Faithful Servant

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