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Kenya: New Bishop of Marsabit Installed PDF Print E-mail
Written by CISA   
Friday, 02 February 2007
NAIROBI - On January 25, 2007, the pastoral staff of the Diocese of Marsabit changed hands during an open air ceremony in front of the cathedral. Bishop Peter Kihara, former bishop of Murang’a, took over from Bishop Ambrose Ravasi at about noon. The latter, having ceremonially verified all the proper documents of authority, vacated his cathedra (a kind of throne that is the official chair of a bishop) and passed his episcopal staff to the new bishop. The simple ceremony took place in front of 20 of the 26 Kenyan bishops and the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya, H. E. Archbp. Alain Lebeaupin, plus all the priests of the diocese, numerous representatives from all the parishes, a big delegation from Murang’a diocese and religious superiors of all congregations ministering in Marsabit.

The ceremony was delayed because the morning cloudy weather forced the four planes carrying bishops and guests from Nairobi and Murang’a to land in the remote Segel airstrip, down in the desert, 30 km away from the hill of Marsabit, giving the visiting bishops a taste of the hardship of the place.

A short procession led the guest and Bp Ravasi to the front of the cathedral, where they welcomed the new bishop who was escorted by Fr Isaiah Lmeisasi and Fr Alexandre Ferreira, Vicar General. Before passing the staff to his successor, Mgr Ravasi welcomed the new bishop to his hardship ridden dioceses and expressed his gratitude to the Lord and the Holy Father who had accepted his resignation and given him a worthy successor. Accepting the new duty, Bishop Kihara stated is readiness to serve in Marsabit with the missionary spirit of St Paul the Apostle, whose conversion was celebrated the same day.

To the people of Murang’a, gently complaining about the transfer while expressing their sorrow for the loss of their bishop and promising him support in his new mission, the Nuncio responded stressing that Mgr Kihara was sent to Marsabit for two reasons: because of his remarkable work in Murang’a, and because he is a missionary belonging to that Institute that pioneered the evangelisation of the area.

Almost all the speeches had two common points: a call for harmony, peace and reconciliation as memories of the near past events, marred by tribal hatred and senseless killing were present in the minds of all; and a call to cooperation among all the stakeholders of the region: different religions, people and politicians.

Marsabit, In Perspective

The new bishop becomes the shepherd of a new, young community, where evangelisation was started only in the fifties among hardships of every kind: weather, roads, distances, desert, droughts, and tribalism. The diocese, evangelized first by the Consolata Missionaries and fidei donum priests from the diocese of Alba (Italy), was erected on November 25, 1964 under the leadership of Bishop Charles Cavallera, former bishop of Nyeri. In 1981 he retired and was succeeded by Bp Ambrose Ravasi. In 2001 the diocese of Maralal was created for the Samburu District, leaving the diocese the two remaining districts of Moyale and Marsabit. In 2004, at 75 years of age, Bp Ravasi presented his resignation. He had to wait for a couple of years before getting a positive answer, and finally on November 25, 2006, Bishop Peter Kihara was appointed to the see of Marsabit from Murang’a.

The diocese covers over 70,000 km2 with a population of over 200,000 (roughly 3 people per km2) composed of mainly pastoralists communities: Borana, Burji, Gabbra, Rendille, Samburu, Somali, Turkana and scores of people from every other Kenyan tribe. The majority of the population follows traditional African Religions or Islam. Christians are a minority of which over 22,000 are Catholic served by 12 parishes with less than 30 priests, 6 of whom are local diocesan and the others are missionaries from all four corners of the world, helped by an army of over 100 catechists and several congregations of sisters.

The diocese runs two hospitals, one in Sololo, the other in Loyangallany, and has an extensive network of dispensaries and mobile clinics. Intensive is the commitment in schools, with two secondary schools, one for boys and one for girls, and innumerable sponsored primary and nursery schools. The diocese is also well committed in development projects, in providing water for the communities, animal husbandry projects and famine prevention projects, being a drought prone region. Cases of drought or other calamities see the diocese constantly on the forefront in the relief effort and programmes of reconciliation and peace.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 15 February 2007 )