Kenya: Pokot people mourn Fr Leo Staples

Fr Leo Staples

Irish missionary, Fr Leo Staples has died in Kenya at the age of 97.

Born Leo Staples Bobleo in Wygram and Piercestown in Wexford, Ireland in 1925, Fr Leo was ordained for St Patrick's Missionary Society in Kiltegan in 1952. He travelled to Kenya, where he went on to spend 71 years living and ministering.

Father Leo lived and worked in a parish about the size of Wexford in Kenya for all those years at time between Kitale and Sigor.

When he arrived in Kenya, amongst the Pokot people, after his ordination, Fr Leo immediately went about learning the Pokot language and setting up a new Catholic parish. He participated in the Pokot rite of sapana and given the name Lokomol in 1981.

He built the parish church and produced liturgical books in the Pokot language. Pver the years he opened 38 out-station churches, four dispensaries, 34 primary schools and two secondary boarding schools in Sigor in West Pokot County - notably the Father Leo Staples Girls Secondary School, Weiwei Boys Secondary School and Bobleo Children's Home in Mnagei.

Fr Leo provided inspiration to people in Kenya and Ireland all his life, not least to his nephew and namesake, Leo Staples Junior, who is bassist with the band Corner Boy.

"I'm delighted to be able to help Fr Leo to continue to do his work in Kenya. He's been there a long time now and he's built hospitals and schools and so on," said Leo Jnr. "he's told me personally about the lack of proper medical facilities when he arrived and about how through building hospitals, they have been able to reduce infant mortality significantly."

A fellow Irish Missionary, Father Michael Dillon died on 7th February 2021 after many years in missionary service in Ortum, Chepareria and Chepnyal parishes.

Fr Leo has indeed left indelible mark among the Pokot people.

Rest in Eternal Peace and Glory Father Leo Staples Lokomol.