Nairobi, 15 August, 2025 / 11:30 PM
Bishop Wallace Ng’ang’a Gachihi of Kenya’s Military Ordinariate has cautioned members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL) against evil forces, which he said can present themselves through friends with an aim of swaying them from their vowed life.
In his homily on Friday, August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the Perpetual Profession and Jubilee celebrations of members of the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi (ASN), Bishop Wallace likened the forces of evil to “dragons” in the Solemnity’s First Reading from the book of Revelation of St. John.
“We are told about Mary, that as she was preparing to give birth, there was a dragon lying in wait to devour … her child,” he said at the event that was held at ASN Uzima Centre in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN), where four ASN members also celebrated their Silver Jubilee, and one other ASN member marked her Diamond Jubilee.
He cautioned, “Whether you are a Brother, a Sister, a Priest, or as a Bishop, each of us must know there are challenges. Watch out for the dragons; watch out for the challenges that can pull you away from the love of God.”
The dragon as depicted in the book of revelation, Bishop Wallace said, is “a sign that in this life there will be threats; there will be challenges.”
“Life will never be perfectly smooth; there will always be ups and downs,” he said about the life of Clergy and women and men Religious, adding that even those in marriage face challenges while trying to keep their families alive.
To safeguard the vocation of marriage and Religious Life from attacks, Bishop Wallace underlined the need to emulate the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus by giving God center stage.
“Let us remember that it is only God who can truly protect us. We hear that when the Child was born, God took the Child and the mother and protected them, leading them into the wilderness,” he said.
Bishop Wallace explained that the protection that the Blessed Virgin Mary received as indicated in the book of Revelation of St. John “shows us that the eyes of the Lord are always upon us to guide and shield us, even from evils and forces we do not see.”
The Kenyan Catholic Bishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 2024 as one of the three Auxiliary Bishops of ADN urged those in ICLSAL and marriage to be cognizant of enemies beyond their circle.
In his August 15 homily, Bishop Wallace said that the fact that the Perpetual Profession and Jubilee celebrations of ASN members were planned on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary gives reason for hope and the need to emulate the Mother of God.
He went on to highlight the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be emulated, including humility, rejoicing in the lord, and human warmth and care as illustrated in her visit to Elizabeth.
Bishop Wallace reminded the two ASN members making Perpetual Profession, the four Silver Jubilarians and Sr. Teresia Ndeto marking her 60 of Religious Life that their call to Consecrated Life is not based on their perfection.
“No one has been called to serve God because she is the best. Neither our Priests, nor I as a Bishop, am here because I am the best. None of us is the best,” he said, and added, “Our calling to Religious Life, to the Priesthood, is to be servants. As Christians, by baptism, you too were chosen to serve. May we always go out to serve, just as Mary offered herself.”
Bishop Wallace thanked the parents of the ASN members taking Final Vows and Jubilarians for accepting God’s calling to Religious Life, saying that they are who they because of the foundation laid by their respective families.
Calling for spiritual solidarity with the ASN celebrants, the Kenyan Catholic Bishop underlined the need to pray for vocation to Religious Life.
“Let us pray that vocations may grow, even from within our families. And as we pray for vocations, let us also pray that God may strengthen families, so that we may bring many into the household of the Lord,” he said.
In her remarks at the end of the Eucharistic celebration, the ASN superior General also acknowledged with appreciation the response to God’s calling to Religious Life of the ASN Perpetual Profession and Jubilee celebrants.
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“We are not only witnesses of your mission, of your love, of your mission and all you've done but we are also beneficiaries of your services to humanity and so we join you in rejoicing and thanking God,” Sr. Margaret Wahungu said.
Sr. Wahungu extended her appreciation to the families of the seven ASN celebrants and urged them to continue supporting the Sisters.
The journey of the seven ASN members, she told the family members of the ASN celebrants in attendance, “has just begun and they will need your love and your support tomorrow and the following days.”
“Today is the first day of the rest of their lives and we have hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday for them,” the Nairobi-based ASN Superior General said.
In an interview with ACI Africa after the Holy Mass at Uzima ASN Centre, Sr. Mary Ngina Kinyithyo, one of ASN celebrants, described her Perpetual Profession as “a blessing from God” and a fruit of communion with Him in prayer.
“The journey has not always been smooth, but God has been giving me the grace from the time I made my First Profession in 2018. Prayer has been keeping me,” Sr. Ngina said.
The Kenyan ASN member said that she initially experienced doubt in her vocation to Religious Life but through prayer, God has always enlightened her and showed her that she is in the right place as a Consecrated.
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