Kenya: Nairobi to ordain eleven

The Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi will ordain eleven candidates to the diaconate and priesthood this month. Five seminarians will be ordained deacons, while six deacons will be elevated to ministerial priesthood on May 15 and May 22.

This time, in an effort to boost priestly vocations, the Archdiocese will partly break from the custom of recent years whereby ordinations of diocesan candidates have been held at the Holy Family Basilica in the capital Nairobi, and revert to its old practice of taking these ceremonies to the deaneries.

"This is one of the ways to promote vocations," the Archdiocese's Vocations, Director Fr John Muhindi, told the Catholic Information Service Africa, (CISA).

He said: "We want the people to witness their sons being ordained." In planning one of the ceremonies at a rural parish, Fr Muhindi said that the Archdiocese had also taken into consideration the scarcity of parking space in the city, and also wanted to save the congregation from having to travel too far, especially these days when Kenya's transport sector is facing a crisis.

Ordination ceremonies in Kenya attract large congregations.

His Grace, Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana 'a Nzeki will officiate at the ordination of the first group this Saturday, May 15, at Mutomo Catholic Parish in the rural Gatundu Deanery.

He will ordain to the priesthood deacons James Mbugua (Ndundu Parish), Anthony Mbuthia (Karinga Parish) and Martin Kimama (Mang'u Parish); and elevate seminarians Polycarp Nganga (Mutomo Parish), Peter Gathanwa Mburu (Gatitu Parish) and Wallace Nganga (Karinga) to the diaconate.

The following Saturday, May 22, at Holy Family Basilica (Nairobi) Bishop David Kamau will preside over the priestly ordination of deacons Peter Muigai (St Mulumba Parish -Thika), Anthony Waithaka (Ruaraka Parish) and Fulgence Mudacumura (Ruaraka Parish).

He will also ordain deacons two seminarians of the Archdiocese -Edward Njuguna Kungu (Sts Peter and Paul Parish -Kiambu) and Stephen Omondi (Sts Joseph & Mary Shauri Moyo).

Source: CISA