By Odiwuor Opiyo
LODWAR, JUNE 3, 2022 (CISA) – The Catholic Diocese of Lodwar on June 3, welcomed bishop-elect, Rev Fr John Mbinda, C.S.Sp, in a colourful ceremony at Kainuk, the border of Kitale and Lodwar dioceses.
The ceremony was graced by Most Rev Maurice Muhatia Makumba of the Archdiocese of Kisumu and Rt Rev Dominic Kimengich, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, who until now served as the Apostolic Administrator of and immediate former bishop of the diocese of Lodwar.
Speaking to CISA on his message to the Bishop-elect, Bishop Kimengich said “We have been praying all this time, asking God to give us a bishop, a shepherd and the Lord has answered our prayers and has given us the shepherd in the person of Bishop-elect John Mbinda. So we are very grateful to God and therefore, we welcome this shepherd.”
Bishop Kimengich appealed to the clergy to support the vision and initiatives of the incoming prelate to realize greater heights for the diocese.
“He is a very young shepherd just coming in now to take over this diocese so I believe with God’s help, he will be able to do a lot. He will journey with the people of this diocese, they will work together to ensure that the work of God, the work of Christ is going on, and the work of evangelization is going on. So let us welcome him with all our hearts, let us make him feel at home,” Bishop Kimengich averred.
Monsignor Mbinda becomes the fourth bishop of the diocese of Lodwar after Bishop Kimengich who was transferred to shepherd the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret in 2019, Bishop Patrick Joseph Harrington S.M.A who retired in 2011, and the first bishop of Lodwar, the late John Christopher Mahon S.P.S.
The 49-year-old Spiritan priest has previously been Parish Vicar of Tangulbei Catholic Mission (2002-2004) and Parish Priest of Kositei Catholic Mission in the Diocese of Nakuru (2004-2008); Pastor of St. Austin’s Parish in the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nairobi and Head of the Development Office of his Congregation (2010-2015).
Since 2015, Rev Fr Mbinda was the Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in Kenya and South Sudan until his term ended in 2021 after which he took a sabbatical in the Archdiocese of Southwark, England, and was assistant Parish Priest, in St Chad’s Parish, entrusted to the Spiritan Fathers, until his appointment in April.
The bishop-elect will be installed on June 4 at Ekales Center, Tobong Lore.
