REFLECTIONS OF A KENYAN PRIEST

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...

By Fr. Casmir Odundo Venerable Fulton Sheen As a historian and researcher of the Vatican II Council, I am always thrilled to study the debates of the Council Fathers. It was such an interesting period, bringing together the most influential figures of the 20th century. Imagine Cardinals: Spellman, Ottaviani, Frings, Bea, Laurent Rugambwa, Suenens, Döpfner, Maurin, König, Archbishop Helder Câmara, Luciani (later Blessed John Paul I,)  Montini later (St. Paul VI), Bishop Wojtyla later (St John Paul II), Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), our very own (later Cardinal) Bishop M. Otunga, Bishop Frederick Hall of Kisumu, Bishop De Reeper of Ngong’, Yves Congar, Henri de Lubac, Álvaro del Portillo, and yes, even Fulton Sheen (to mention but a few) — all under one roof discussing the challenges and potential solutions for the Church in the modern world. It was a council of the ‘who is who’ in the 20th century Church.  Having been appointed Auxiliary Bishop of New York on 28th...

By Fr. Casmir Odundo I was then but a young colt,   A modest donkey, harbouring a million dreams untold, Nestled in the village, humble origins my hold,   I gazed at stallions, warriors bold, in admiration bold. They, akin to me, yet in beauty they surpass,   Graceful in battle's dance, while I, in shadow cast.   My dreams, to my parents, I did eagerly amass,   " Cease such thoughts ," they chided, " for we bear the burden's mast. Donkeys we are, destined to toil, not to bask in glory's light,   Our lot is of the earth, not the splendour of the knight."    Resigned, I embraced fate, though my heart yearned for flight,   But youth held a spark, a flicker in the night. Then, a Sunday came that would my destiny recast,   Two men, Apostles named, in our village amassed.   They untied me, despite protest, their intentions vast,   "The Master needs him," they declared, and my heart r...