REFLECTIONS OF A KENYAN PRIEST

By Fr. Casmir Odundo On the 8th of May 2025, history was written. After the sombre days of mourning Pope Francis, God gave us another shepherd. The death of Pope Francis was felt profoundly by many, especially those of us here in Rome. It was like losing a close family member. Papa Francesco was so close to all of us, and his words and actions touched our hearts deeply. Then came the conclave, and with it, the anticipation. Who would be the next Pope? There was a lot of speculation. The media paraded the probable candidates and I think they did well because, in a way, they helped many people get to know some of the cardinals. I cannot count how many times in Rome I was asked, " Whom are you tipping for? " Some media personalities asked us if we thought it was time for an African Pope. But when we told them that we would not mind a non-African, they seemed less interested in the rest of the conversation. I analysed the candidates, followed the discussions, and paid attentio...

By Fr. Casmir Odundo We were in first year of theology, an ordinary afternoon in class. Latin lesson with Fr. Anselm Kamuyu. The kind of day you barely notice until something unforgettable slips into it. We were just stepping out of class when the news came—Pope Benedict XVI had resigned. It was 11 February 2013, a Monday. The first pope to resign in nearly 600 years. The last one had been Gregory XII in 1415, stepping down to heal the schism in the Church. And now, Benedict—this humble Bavarian theologian—had done the same, citing lack of strength of mind and body. The world held its breath. Then came the conclave. That word— conclave —from Latin cum clave , meaning "with a key," evokes the ancient custom: the cardinals locked away, key turned, until they chose a pope. It is a tradition from the 13th century, formalised after delays in electing a new pontiff. The electors are cardinals, each one a titular pastor of a Roman church, still preserving the link with the clergy an...

di Don Casmir Odundo Come sacerdote e storico della Chiesa, una delle cose che ho notato spesso — sia nei miei studi che nelle mie ricerche — è come Dio susciti uomini e donne diversi in tempi diversi per dare vita a molteplici apostolati e carismi nella Chiesa. Il Signore, per esempio, chiamò i Dodici Apostoli, che lo accompagnarono durante la sua vita terrena e furono poi inviati ad evangelizzare. In seguito chiamò Paolo, “il più piccolo degli Apostoli”, perché fosse l’Apostolo dei Gentili. In ogni generazione ci sono sempre grandi uomini della Chiesa. Possiamo pensare ai grandi Padri della Chiesa, successori degli Apostoli, che spiegarono e difesero la dottrina cristiana come veri apologeti. Pensiamo ai martiri, che testimoniarono la fede nel tempo delle persecuzioni. Poi venne san Girolamo, grande studioso e traduttore della Bibbia. San Benedetto, fondatore del monachesimo occidentale, segnò un’altra svolta decisiva. E non possiamo dimenticare il grande sant’Agostino d’Ippona. La s...

By Fr. Casmir Odundo As a priest and a Church historian, one of the things I have frequently noted—both in my studies and research—is how God raises up different men and women at different times to bring forth diverse apostolates and charisms in the Church. Our Lord, for example, called the Twelve Apostles, who accompanied Him during His earthly life and were later sent out to evangelise. Later he called Paul, the "least of the Apostles" to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. In every generation, there are always great men of the Church. We can think of the great Fathers of the Church, who succeeded the Apostles and explained and even defended christian  doctrine as true apologists. We think of the martyrs, who bore witness during the age of Christian persecution. Then came Saint Jerome, the great biblical scholar, exegete, and translator of the Bible. Saint Benedict, founder of Western monasticism, marked another turning point. And we cannot forget the great Saint Augustine of H...