KENYA: Go Beyond Expectations in Service to Church, Missionaries Urged

NAIROBI, FEBRUARY 19, 2019 (CISA)-Fr Joseph Waithaka the Regional Superior of the Consolata Missionaries in Kenya and Uganda has called on missionaries to ape Pope Francis Visit to the United Arab Emirates by going beyond their expectations in their service to the Church.

“The Holy Father has given us a good example. Recently he went to the land of Muslims and that is a sign of going beyond what we are expected,” he said during a deaconate ordination ceremony held in Nairobi on February 16.

“Now we are harvesting the fruits of so many missionaries who gave their lives so that today we can grace this occasion that happens to take place on the day of our founder, Bl. Joseph Allamano,” he said.

Four Seminarians; Joseph Bekele, Francis Muli, Abel Tapano and Henry Kaziama were ordained deacons of Consolata Missionaries in a ceremony presided over by Bishop Virgillio Pante of the Catholic Diocese of Maralal.

In his homily, Bishop Pante urged the deacons to be committed in the ministry, and to heed to Pope Francis words that disciples should keep walking and avoid falling into temptation of survival.

“A disciple is one who is not afraid to take risks and keeps walking. If you stay still, you have lost. Begin to walk, this is the disciple’s greatest joy,” he said quoting Pope Francis.

Bishop Pante invited the deacons to emulate the early missionaries who were committed in their service to the church and only rested at 90 years.