Kitui, 30 July, 2020 / 11:32 pm (ACI Africa).
The episcopal ordination of the recently appointed Bishop of Kenya’s Kitui Diocese has been postponed from August 8 following new regulations that limit Church gatherings to 100 participants with a hope that the event, expected to be celebrated on a much later date, will attract up to 1,000 people.
In a communique obtained by ACI Africa Thursday, July 30, Archbishop Anthony Muheria who is the Apostolic Administrator of Kitui announced that the ordination of Bishop Joseph Mwongela, which had been scheduled for August 8 had been pushed to August 29 following a spike in COVID-19 infections in the country.
“We have waited with great longing for the day of the consecration of our new Bishop, Rt. Rev. Joseph Mwongela that was set for 8th August 2020. We continue to pray for him and for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to come upon him, as we prepare to receive the special graces as a diocese on this occasion,” Archbishop Muheria states in his July 30 letter addressed to “all Priests, Religious Men and Women, and all Christians in the Catholic Diocese of Kitui.
He adds in reference to the long-awaited celebration, “We have also seen that the situation of the spread of the COVID-19 unfortunately continues to rise. In view of the pronouncement of His Excellency the President, and of other considerations, it has become clear that we can only hold our celebrations as planned on the 8th of August, with a maximum of 100 people attending.”
Archbishop Muheria who is the Local Ordinary of Kenya’s Nyeri Archdiocese says in the one-page letter that after consultations, the organizers of the Episcopal Ordination had reached an agreement to “delay the date of the consecration of the new bishop” with hope many people in the Diocese will be able to witness the solemn event.
