By Rahab Kuria
NAIROBI, AUGUST 6, 2021 (CISA) – Bishop Maurice Muhatia of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru has eulogized the late Rev Fr Prof. Peter Ignatius Gichure as, “an active man who exercised his priestly duties to the fullest.”
“He was a humble man who exercised his priesthood to the fullest both at The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and also at the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru. Every weekend he spared time to come and assist here in Nakuru, he was not only a theologian of the book but also a theologian of confession and of the Holy Eucharist. He was conscious of his priesthood despite his high level of education. We thank God for the gift of Fr Gichure he has died in the faith. May God grant his soul eternal repose,” Bishop Muhatia said on August 4 during the burial mass held at Christ the King Cathedral in Nakuru County.
“We mourn one of us one of CUEA family members bonded to us in faith and holy brotherhood as well as his ministerial priesthood and service to us and to the church…. he died in active ministry and teaching faith at the university .He blended his academic life with pastoral work and never wanted to lose focus of his calling,” Rev Prof. Stephen Mbugua, the Vice Chancellor of CUEA said on August 3, at the requiem mass held at CUEA, Langata Campus.
Fr Gichure was born on January 3, 1959 in Kiambu County. He studied Philosophy at St. Augustine’s Major Seminary in Mabanga Bungoma Diocese, and Theology at St. Thomas Aquinas National Major Seminary in Nairobi Archdiocese and later ordained Priest on October 19 1984.
He is also an alumnus of the University of Notre Dame in the U.S. and the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium where he obtained a Master’s degree in Peace Studies and PhD in Theology and Peace Studies respectively.
Until his death, he was an Associate Professor of Dogmatic Theology and Peace Studies at CUEA main campus, also Since 2001 he has been serving as the Theological Advisor of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Kenya.
He died on July 31 in Nairobi while receiving treatment for a short illness.
