Three Ways Nairobi-based Missionary Priest is Promoting Devotion to Cardinal Otunga on Path to Sainthood

Nairobi, 21 January, 2026 / 6:38 PM

One of the most visited places at the Resurrection Garden shrine of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) in Kenya is the tomb of the Servant of God Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga, where pilgrims pray at the resting place of Kenya’s first native Catholic Bishop and Cardinal on the sainthood journey.

Serving as Rector of the shrine that was established by Cardinal Otunga is Fr. Marino Gemma, Italian-born member of the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries (IMC) who combines the shrine’s administration tasks with providing spiritual guidance and counselling to the pilgrims.

Fr. Marino’s tasks also include emptying the petition boxes at Cardinal Otunga’s tomb once every week and praying over the pilgrims’ most intimate notes.

Testimonies of those who met the Servant of God who served as Kenya’s first native Bishop find their way to the walls of the Cardinal Otunga Memorial Hall at the Centre, where they enrich the story of the Servant of God.

In an interview with ACI Africa on Saturday, January 17, Fr. Marino who has served at Resurrection Gardens since 2018 said he encourages pilgrimage to Cardinal Otunga’s tomb as a way to promote devotion to the Servant of God.

He said that making the exceptional life of Cardinal Otunga known, especially among people who never met the Cardinal, is a way of evangelization.

“I consider it a gift being here at Resurrection Gardens,” Fr. Marino told ACI Africa, and added, “I firmly believe that promoting the Devotion to the Servant of God, Maurice Michael Otunga, is a work of Evangelization, offering pilgrims a powerful example of faith, humility, and service.”

Here are the three main ways in which Fr. Marino is promoting devotion to the Servant of God, Cardinal Otunga.

1. Encouraging Visits to the Chapel where Cardinal Otunga is laid to rest

This is the core spiritual heart of the Devotion. A visit here is a moment of prayer and inspiration. It is a pilgrimage goal. It’s not simply to say "visit the chapel." I like to invite Pilgrims to pray at the tomb of a potential saint from Kenya or ask for the intercession of Cardinal Otunga and position it as a special grace in the petition box. The visit to the chapel becomes a prayer moment. A brief introductory prayer about his life is offered. There is a silent moment for personal intentions. Leaflets are also available for a recited prayer for his Beatification. Some of his virtues are highlighted, including model of humility, defender of the poor, and pillar of the Church in Kenya. This gives people a focus for their reflection.

2. Through the Cardinal Otunga Memorial Hall

This is where the Servant of God’s story comes alive. The hall is crucial for moving from curiosity to admiration. I offer guided “Virtue Tours” of the hall. It is not just letting people walk through. I offer a brief of about 15 minutes while walking pilgrims through the hall. I show his simple vestments, his simple belongings, and talk about his life of humility. I show his numerous photos with Popes and explain his role in establishing structures that still work to date in Kenya. 

3. Making Cardinal Otunga known through his life history

I encourage pilgrims to purchase literature of the Servant of God available at Catholic bookshops especially those run by Pauline Sisters. It is not just about sharing historical facts, but offering pilgrims a living example of how to live the Gospel in Kenya and Africa. We invite them into a relationship with a holy father of the Church, encouraging them to seek his intercession and imitate his virtues.

Sacred period of great anticipation in Kenya

My message to Kenyans as we await the Beatification of the Servant of God, Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga is to strive every day to emulate him. As we stand in this sacred period of anticipation, awaiting the Beatification of the Servant of God, Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga, my heart is filled with a profound sense of unity with you all. Though not born of Kenyan soil, I have been grafted onto this noble vine by adoption and by a Missionary call. I consider it one of the greatest graces of my life to have known the Cardinal, to have been a student in his presence, and to now serve you in this beautiful land.

My message to me and to you, dear Kenyans, is woven from three threads I saw in his life:

First, embracing humility as true strength. Cardinal Otunga was a Prince of the Church who lived with the simplicity of a servant. In a world that shouts for recognition, his quiet, steady dignity speaks volumes. As we await his elevation to the Altar, let us ask ourselves: Where in our families, our workplaces, do we need to replace the thirst for power with the strength of service? His life tells us that true greatness is found in kneeling to wash the feet of others.
Second, let us root our identity in unshakable faith. Cardinal Otunga was a man deeply rooted in his cultural heritage, yet his identity was founded, first and foremost, on being a child of God. In our beautiful Nation, rich with diverse tribes and traditions, the Cardinal’s witness calls us to a higher unity. He shows us that our deepest identity is not in our ethnicity, but in our baptism. 

Non-partisan voice of conscience

Third, let us strive to be bridges of reconciliation and hope. In times of tension, Cardinal Otunga was a calm, non-partisan voice of conscience. He built bridges. As we navigate the challenges of our time, his impending Beatification is a divine reminder that we are called to be healers and peacemakers. Let us honor him by being instruments of reconciliation in our communities, forgiving where there is hurt.

Resurrection Gardens

In the book “Fragile to Firece” that details Fr. Marino’s fragile childhood, a burning desire to serve the people of God and his work in Kenya that spans three decades, Richard Kitheka Mbindyo describes the expansive Centre that sits on 34 acres of land in Karen where pilgrims are enveloped in indescribable tranquility.

The reception area outside Fr. Marino’s office has the portrait of Cardinal Otunga facing those who sit to wait. The inviting warmth in Cardinal Otunga’s eyes is well known by those who met him. “When you spoke to him, he would totally immerse himself in the moment, giving you the feeling that your presence there was the only thing that mattered to him,” Fr. Marino tells ACI Africa.

Apart from Cardinal Otunga’s tomb and the Cardinal Otunga Memorial Hall, there are chapels, 14 Stations of the Cross, a Retreat House, among other facilities at the Centre.

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Cardinal Otunga conceived the idea of the retreat center in 1994, and it was inaugurated on 5 June 1994 on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.