By Odiwuor Opiyo
NAIROBI, OCTOBER 7, 2022 (CISA) – “By the fact of Fr Joya being nominated to be the bishop of Maralal diocese, it reminds us that, we are there for evangelization and human promotion, especially to these people who are really abandoned in the north,” said Fr Peter Makau IMC, Regional Superior of the Consolata Missionaries Kenya- Uganda Region, in an interview CISA on October 5.
Fr Makau said that as a region, “We are really humbled because when the Holy Father appoints somebody from the congregation, it’s like approving that what the Consolata missionaries are doing in Kenya and Uganda.”
On July 20, the announcement of Fr Joya’s appointment as bishop of the Catholic Dioceses of Maralal came after the resignation of Rt Rev Virgilio Pante IMC who had attained the canonical age for retirement,75, and shepherded the diocese for 21 years.
Fr Makau heaped praise on Fr Joya, calling him a man of God, principled and disciplined, organized and someone who believes in the self-reliance of the Church.
“The people of Maralal have a pastor. He is somebody that they are going to love and the most important thing is they welcome him,” said Fr Makau who further averred that the bishop-elect is an instrument of God who will not bring all the solutions but who God has chosen and will use.
Fr Joya will be consecrated and installed as the second Bishop of Maralal on October 22, at Allamano Grounds in Maralal.
