50 YEARS AS A PRIEST: ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS REFLECTS

By Fr. Casmir Odundo 

"The one who has not used the tool, does not know its depth." Remarked Archbishop Emeritus Peter Joseph Kairo as he thanked God for granting him 50 solid years of priestly ministry. The Archbishop Emeritus said this while delivering his homily on the occasion of the ordination of 4 priests and 7 deacons for the Archdiocese of Nyeri and also to celebrate his Golden Jubilee of Priesthood.

"There is no life without challenges, even priesthood has its own fair share of challenges,"continued the Archbishop. He encouraged the 11 men who were to be ordained as deacons and priests  to always follow the example of Jesus the Good Shepherd, who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. He cautioned the young men not to aspire for the priesthood because of  money or riches. "The Priesthood, " he said, "is a vocation and a life of sacrifice." He thus encouraged the young men, soon to be ordained to imitate the example of Christ. "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man had nowhere to lay his head."

He also noted that priesthood is impossible without God's grace. He thus encouraged the ordinandi to persevere in prayer. Prior to the ordination ceremony, the Archbishop had preached an eight days retreat to these men he was about to ordain in Sagana. "During your retreat, I admired you. I envied you because I saw you were men of prayer. Please always maintain that atmosphere of prayer." The Archbishop encouraged them to be reading the lives of saints as part of their spiritual reading. He gave an example of the life of St. John Maria Vianney, the Cure of Ars and the Patron of all Priests. "St. John Maria Vianney was sent to a far away parish where there was very little faith. However, because of his good example of prayer, his humility, cathechesis, and life of penance the parish gradually changed. Later many other people came from very far to listen to him." He also exhorted Priests to have good friends who will respect their vocation and not those who will destroy it. "Tell me your friends and I will tell you who you are." 

He encouraged the ordinandi to be true witnesses to Christ reminding them that actions speaks louder than words. Using a swahili adage, Shoka Wawili wakipatana....he noted that it is human for priests living in a rectory to sometimes disagree. As such he encouraged them to always embrace a spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation and that they should learn to bear with one another. He encouraged them to always, "promote good relationships and good communications among  the clergy.  It is important to plan together pastoral work," he said. 

Finally he encouraged them to take Mary as the Model of their lives and like her, to be always ready to say, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word." In this regard, he urged the men to be ordained priests and  deacons to always be obedient like the Blessed Virgin Mary.  He gave his testimony of how obedience brought him from his native Nakuru to Murang'a then back to Nakuru and finally to Nyeri. "Obedience is not easy but obedience is better than sacrifice," he said. 

Reflecting on His Own Ordination Day

Archbishop Peter Joseph Kairo was was ordained into the Holy Priesthood on 8th November 1970 in his home parish, St. Mary’s Molo by the then Bishop of Machakos Rt. Rev. Ndingi Mwana’ a’ Nzeki. At the time when Nakuru had not yet a Bishop. (Sede Vacante).  Very Rev. Fr. Denis Newman SPS  (RIP) was then in charge of the diocese as Apostolic Administrator.  Archbishop Kairo talked about the circumstances leading to his priestly ordination during a memorial Mass to pray for the soul  Fr. Denis Newman in Christ the King, Cathedral Nakuru in the year 2009:

“It was all Divine Plan. The auxiliary Bishop of Eldoret, Bishop Emilio Njeru had earlier been approached by the Apostolic Administrator, Fr. Denis Newman, to ordain me a priest. However, on 5^th of September 1970, exactly two months before the date of my priestly ordination, when driving near his hometown of Kevote Embu, Bishop Njeru hit an unmarked stationery lorry in bad light and died. It was an accident that not only robbed the Kenyan church of a great shepherd but nearly put off my ordination. However, after the burial of the Bishop, a second option was sought and Fr. Newman asked Bishop Ndingi, then the Bishop of Machakos, if he could come to Molo and ordain me.”

And Bishop Ndingi of Machakos came to Molo to ordain Deacon Kairo a priest. Back then, no one thought that Bishop Ndingi of Machakos, would be in a couple of months appointed the first Bishop of Nakuru. Another fact that makes this ordination special was that, it was also Bishop Ndingi’s very first. Fr. Kairo (his future vicar general and later successor) would be the very first priest he ordained. Fr. Peter Kairo would also be the very first priest ordained for the Diocese of Nakuru. 

Biography

Archbishop Emeritus, Peter Joseph Kairo was born on 24^th May 1941, first born into a family of four sons and five daughters, children of Daniel Muraya (RIP, 2009) and Theresia Muringe (RIP, 2017). He studied at St. Peter’s Primary School Elburgon and Mother of Apostles Minor Seminary, Moi’s Bridge (Hoey’s Bridge). He studied Philosophy and Theology in St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Nairobi.

As a priest he worked at Holy Rosary Parish, Nakuru. Later he was sent by Bishop Ndingi to St. John Fischer College in Rochester, New York in the USA where he graduated with a B.A degree in Religious Studies. After further studies he served as the Diocesan Education Secretary, Lay Apostolate Coordinator, and Vocations Director. In 1976 he was seconded to St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi as a Spiritual Director, where he served until 1981. In January 1982, he was appointed Administrator of Christ the King Cathedral in Nakuru and Vicar General of the Diocese of Nakuru.

On 17^th March 1983 (St. Patrick’s Day), he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Murang’a, which was hived off from the Archdiocese of Nyeri. He was ordained Bishop of Murangá on 21^st May 1983 by H.E Archbishop Clemente Faccani, the Apostolic Nuncio; assisted by Bishop Caesar Maria Gatimu of Nyeri and Bishop R.S. Ndingi Mwana a’ Nzeki of Nakuru.

After 14 solid years in Muranga, On 21^st April 1997 at the age of 55, Pope John Paul II appointed him the Bishop of his native Diocese – Nakuru. "My greatest challenge having been appointed Bishop of  Nakuru- my home diocese, was if I would be accepted, because Jesus said that a prophet is not accepted in his home town."He took possession of the diocese in August the same year. He served in Nakuru for 11 years.  On 19^th April 2008 at the age of 67, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Nyeri, following the death of Archbishop Nicodemus Kirima and the transfer of Archbishop Njue to Nairobi.  He was installed Archbishop of Nyeri on 14^th June 2008 at Ruring’u Stadium in Nyeri. 

He served as the Archbishop of Nyeri for over 8 years until on 23^rd April 2017, when his resignation (upon attaining the retirement age of 75 years for Bishops/Archbishops) was accepted. He was succeeded by Bishop Anthony Muheria, formerly the Bishop of Kitui. Archbishop Kairo was among the Bishops who represented KEC during the Second Synod for Africa in Rome. 

Archbishop Kairo (Standing) during the Installation of  Archbishop Muheria as the new Archbishop of Nyeri

His Episcopal Motto both for Nakuru and Nyeri was, “Peace, Amani.” A motto that reflects his personality. In his retirement he has continued to assist the new Archbishop of Nyeri, Most. Rev. Antony Muheria as well as other KCCB bishops. He has also availed himself to preach several retreats. He has hinted at his intention of writing a book.

Archbishop Kairu is a man of God with many firsts. He is the first priest ordained for Nakuru Diocese. He is also the first priest to be ordained by Bishop Ndingi. He is also the first priest of Nakuru to be elevated to a Bishop. Again, he is the first Bishop of Muranga. He was the Archbishop of Nyeri, at the historic moment during the very first beatification ceremony in Kenyan soil i.e the Beatifiacation of Blessed Irene Stephanie, which happeed in Dedan Kimathi University grounds in Nyeri Archdiocese. 

Many other celebrations to mark his Golden Jubilee as a priest are in the pipeline. One of such, will be held in his home parish, Molo, at the beginning of next year 2021. 

We wish the Archbishop Emeritus, all the best in his apostolic service.“Still bearing fruits when they are old; still full of sap, still green…” (Psalm 92: 14)

The author is Parochial Vicar, St. Mary's Parish Kabarnet, Nakuru Diocese. Email casmirthomas28@gmail.com