REFLECTIONS OF A KENYAN PRIEST

“When I was about nine years old, I had a dream that left a profound impression on me for the rest of my life.” “When I was about nine years old, I had a dream that left a profound impression on me for the rest of my life. I dreamed that I was near my home, in a very large playing field where a crowd of children were having fun. Some were laughing, others were playing and two a few were carrying. I was so shocked that they laughed at me. I jumped into their midst, swinging wildly and shouting at them to stop. At that moment a Man appeared, nobly attired, with a manly and imposing bearing. He was clad with a white flowing robe, and His face radiated such light that I could not look directly at Him. He called me by name and told me to place myself as leader of those boys, adding these words: “You will have to win these friends of yours not with blows but with gentleness and kindness. So begin right now to show them what sin is and what true beauty is.” Confused and afraid, I replied that...

By Fr. Casmir Odundo 1. Anticipating the Ordinary Jubilee The year 2025 had been long awaited in the life of the Church, for it was marked as an Ordinary Jubilee Year. Indeed, when Pope John Paul II closed the Holy Door of the Great Jubilee in January 2001, he pointed ahead to the next Ordinary Jubilee to be celebrated in 2025. Even before that moment arrived, an important preparatory step had already been taken. Following the election of Pope Francis on 13 March 2013, the Church entered a period marked strongly by themes of mercy and hope. In 2015, Pope Francis announced an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which ran from 8 December 2015 to 20 November 2016. Significantly, it began on the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of the Vatican II Council (8 December 1965), recalling that at the end of the Council Pope Paul VI had also called for an extraordinary Jubilee in 1966. 2. Mercy as a Path towards Hope As Pope Francis later explained in his letter to Archbishop Rino Fisichella dated ...

FOR HISTORICAL INTEREST: AGES AT EPISCOPAL ORDINATION OF BISHOPS IN KENYA 1) 34.0 – Maurice Michael Otunga 2) 35.0 – Philip Sulumeti 3) 35.8 – Zacchaeus Okoth 4) 36.7 – Filippo Perlo, I.M.C. 5) 37.6 – Raphael Ndingi Mwana a’ Nzeki 6) 38.6 – Charles (Carlo) Maria Cavallera, I.M.C. 7) 38.6 – Carlo Re, I.M.C. 8) 38.9 – Alfred Kipkoech Arap Rotich 9) 39.5 – Emilio (Emile) Njeru 10) 39.5 – Giuseppe Perrachon, I.M.C. 11) 39.7 – Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo 12) 39.9 – Cornelius Kipng’eno Arap Korir 13) 40.0 – Caesar Gatimu 14) 40.6 – Anthony Muheria 15) 40.7 – John Njue 16) 41.0 – Joseph Mairura Okemwa 17) 41.1 – Linus Okok Okwach 18) 41.7 – Maurice Muhatia Makumba 19) 41.8 – Joseph Ndembu Mbatia 20) 41.9 – Peter Joseph Kairo 21) 41.9 – John Njenga 22) 42.1 – Nicodemus Kirima 23) 42.6 – Jean-Marie-Raoul Le Bas de Courmont, C.S.Sp. 24) 43.5 – Paul Darmanin, O.F.M. Cap. 25) 43.6 – William Dunne, S.P.S. 26) 45.2 – David Kamau Ng’ang’a 27) 45.4 – Urbanus Joseph Kioko 28) 45.5 – Frederick Hall, M.H...

From part of the painting of Madonna and Child with Saint Anne by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio By Fr Casmir Odundo The modern Marian movement gained remarkable momentum in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In 1830, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St Catherine Labouré at Rue du Bac in Paris, giving rise to the devotion of the Miraculous Medal. Less than 25 years later, in 1854, Pope Pius IX defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in Ineffabilis Deus . Four years after this definition, in 1858, Our Lady appeared to St Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, identifying herself with the words, “ I am the Immaculate Conception .” This Marian climate was furthered  particularly through the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917, whose message called for conversion, penance, and the consecration of Russia. Later during the Holy Year of 1950 after consulting bishops from all over the world Pope Pius XII definined  of the dogma of the Assumption in Munificenti...

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...