On July 17, 2016 Camillians from different communities, various religious congregations and numerous faithful gathered in Karungu for the celebration of the feast of Saint Camillus De Lellis, patron of the sick and health workers and for the profession of temporary vows of the four novices who have just finished their year of novitiate.
On the same occasion, the 40th anniversary of the arrival of the Camillians in Kenya (1976 – 2016) was also celebrated.
The day was prepared thanks to the collaboration between the St. Camillus missionary hospital through its director Father Emilio, Dala Kiye in the figure of Father Elphas and the novice master Father Ermenegildo. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Monsignor Philip Anyolo, bishop of the diocese of HomaBay, where the missionary hospital of Karungu is located. In addition to the General Consultor, Father Aristele Miranda and the provincial superior delegate of the Kenyan delegation, Father Aloice Nyanya, the fathers of the communities of Tabaka and Nairobi concelebrated. During the homily, the bishop praised the work of the Camillians not only in Kenya, but throughout the world, for their work carried out with passion and commitment, as servants of the people of God and in particular for their service to the sick. and the poor. He exhorted the whole Congregation and the Community to pray so that the Camillians can strengthen this virtue of theirs, especially because it follows the Jubilee Year of Mercy that we are experiencing as children of God. It was Father Aristele Miranda who received the first vows of the four novices. (Paul Njoroge, Evans Juma, Pius Musyoki and Gerald Okwanyi), warmly welcomed by the whole Camillian community, by the men and women religious and lay people present. At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, Father Aloice thanked the Camillian confreres and the other religious, introducing them to the community. The ritual ended with a group photo. Among the Camillians were Father Avi and Brother Albano da Tabaka, pioneers of the foundation in Kenya. Those present were entertained with lively traditional songs performed by the children of Dala Kiye, immediately afterwards the bishop, the Camillians and the guests went to the religious house for refreshments.
To involve in the feast the patients admitted in the wards, the religious gave them biscuits and drinks, because as Pope Francis says «Each of us has the opportunity to meet the Son of God, experiencing all his love and infinite mercy. We can recognize him in the face of our brothers, especially in the poor, in the sick: they are the living flesh of the suffering Christ and the visible image of the invisible God».
God bless Camillians in Kenya! God bless Karungu’s mission!
Report by F. Dominic & Benedetta
