By Arnold Neliba
NAIROBI, AUGUST 18, 2023 (CISA)-Rt Rev. Paul Kariuki has termed his appointment as the first bishop of the newly erected Catholic Diocese of Wote as a ‘new challenge’ after 14 years as bishop of Embu.
In an interview with CISA, Bishop Kariuki while accepting his appointment and expressing his readiness to work with the people of Wote has pledged to continue with the work of evangelization whose foundation was laid by the early missionaries.
“…continue with the good work the missionaries did in strengthening the faith of our Christians. They did the first parts of evangelization and I as a bishop am to continue with the same foundation. Being the 21st century, it is good to be aware of the challenges we are encountering and therefore in my role as a shepherd, I am going to work with the priests very closely and the religious men and women, with the Christians to map out the way forward,” the bishop said.
As the diocese of Embu marks 100 years of faith since the first parish was started, the bishop is upbeat about his time and contribution to the diocese and is ready for the new assignment.
“I am happy with what we have been able to achieve and I believe we have worked together very well in three areas; firstly, in the area of evangelization. I have ensured that we have catechists who are well formed up to diploma, priests who are well educated even up to further studies and leaders who are well prepared. Two; we have ensured that the church becomes self-supporting, we now fully support the diocese in all its financial obligations and all this is funded by the Christians,” said the third bishop of Embu.
On the erection of the new diocese of Wote excised from the Catholic Diocese of Machakos, Bishop Kariuki said it has been a long wait for the people in the region and the timing is right for the faithful in Makueni.
“For a long time since the time of the late Bishop Urbanus Joseph Kioko, this people have been waiting for a diocese and it has come at the right time when the Christians are prepared and ready to have a new diocese,” he added.
60-year-old Bishop Kariuki was appointed bishop of Wote on July 22, 2023, and on September 30, he will be installed as the first bishop of the diocese, which covers the territorial jurisdiction akin to the County of Makueni.
