Jubilarians in Kenya’s Homa Bay Diocese Urged to Renew Commitment to God’s Call at Golden, Silver Celebrations

Nairobi, 09 October, 2025 / 1:59 AM

Members of the Clergy in Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Homa Bay marking their Golden and Silver Jubilees have been encouraged to rekindle their love and commitment to the divine call they embraced in choosing the Priesthood.

In his Monday, October 6 homily, the Local Ordinary of Homa Bay, Bishop Michael Cornelius Otieno Odiwa, reminded the six Jubilarians that anniversaries of Priestly Ordination and Religious Life are not merely moments of celebration, but opportunities to renew and deepen one’s commitment to the divine mission.

At the celebration that was held at St. John’s Minor Seminary, Rakwaro of the Diocese of Homa Bay, Fr. Francis Lesso marked his Golden Jubilee. The other five who celebrated their Silver Jubilees were Fr. Charles Odira, Fr. Robert A. P. Olima, Fr. Paul Ogalo, Fr. Philip Otieno, and Fr. Anthony Owuor.

Drawing from Peter’s encounter with Jesus on the question of love, Bishop Odiwa emphasized that genuine service in the Church must flow from love, not from the pursuit of success or the implementation of programs.

He called on the six Priests of Homa Bay Diocese to renew their “commitment of love, of faithfulness to the Lord, so that the 50 years (and) the 25 years, that have been years of success, years uninterrupted, may be continued in love.”

The Local Ordinary of Homa Bay reflected on his personal motivations for serving God and urged the Jubilarians to renew their love daily through spiritual retreats to inspire future generations.

“Yesterday's love is not enough for today's call. I remember my vocation story, when I saw a Priest on a motorbike. That is what I loved, and I desired to be a Priest. That was yesterday's love. Today, you meet other circumstances that must be reasons and motivations to love a Priest,” he said.

Bishop Odiwa added, “Yesterday's reason for loving may not be today's reason. It may be different. The car that you saw a Priest driving may not be the car you are driving today.”

He reiterated that love “must be revealed continuously,” and reminded the Jubilarians that faithfulness requires constant renewal amid challenges such as fear, poverty, or discouragement.

He acknowledged the likelihood for Priest to ask themselves “Why do I still want to continue to serve the Lord in this poverty? Why do I still want to continue to serve the Lord in this suffering? Look at the kind of house I'm living in?”

Answers to such questions lies in refocusing on Christ’s command, “Feed my sheep, tend my flock,” the Kenyan Catholic Bishop appealed.

He went on to encourage all Church Ministers to sacrifice and shepherd God’s people with love, patience, and truth, assuring them that “the flock belongs to God, not to us.”

Bishop Odiwa encouraged collaboration between the Clergy and the Laity to ensure salvation amongst themselves, saying, “We are all seeking eternal life. That is the reason why our ministers must tend to us, conscious of our needs because we all want to be saved.”

The Local Ordinary of Homa Bay Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in February 2021 expressed joy at the celebration of the Golden and Silver Jubilees of the six Priests.

He said, “Dear friends, today, as we rejoice because of them, we want to rejoice because of you, who have accepted to be the flock of Christ and to be tended by us, by these ministers, by these celibates. And that is the meaning that is supposed to end in Heaven with God.”