Pioneer Local Ordinary of Kenya’s Newest Catholic Diocese Urged to Be “example to flock”, to Lead with Love, Humility

“Be shepherd of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them, not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock,” the Vatican diplomat said referring to St. Peter.

Drawing from St. Augustine’s teachings cited in his appointment letter as Local Ordinary of Kapsabet, Archbishop van Megen reminded Bishop Lelei’s that “the love of God is the only love that is not brought down by the happiness of another… the only love that is not pierced by an evil conscience, because it does not behave improperly.”

The Dutch-born Vatican diplomat cautioned against the dangers of clericalism, dishonesty, and misuse of authority. “Wolves in sheep’s clothing are dangerous, but worse are wolves in shepherd’s clothing. The danger of turning into a wolf in shepherd's clothing is very real,” he warned.

He explained, “The greed for money, the ambition for worldly recognition in media and politics, the desire for approval and adulation by people around us, are temptations that are known to every politician and also church leader.”

“True change begins with recognizing that even as shepherds we face such temptations. We all have to acknowledge that those kinds of temptations are part and parcel of who we are. Even we, we can turn into wolves in shepherd's clothing,” the Apostolic Nuncio said.

He called upon Bishop Lelei to embrace humility and self-reflection, saying, “Did you ever recognize the beam in your own eye? Know yourself, the old philosophers would say. It is good to bitterly regret your sins, as St. Augustine did. The shepherd should understand that he is also in need of conversion and redemption.”

“The shepherd should understand that he is also in need of conversion and redemption. He should bitterly regret his sins, as the prayer of St. Monica said, and pray for the grace of conversion and return to the divine shepherd who is already in search of us,” Archbishop van Megen added.

Pope Leo XIV erected Kapsabet Catholic Diocese as the 28th Episcopal See in Kenya on July 10, and appointed Bishop Lelei as its pioneer Local Ordinary.

Kapsabet Diocese is the eighth Suffragan Diocese of the Metropolitan See of Kisumu alongside Bungoma, Eldoret, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kisii, Kitale, and Lodwar.

In his August 30 homily, Archbishop van Megen cautioned against corruption and world pleasures.

He said, “Some shepherds, be they politicians or church leaders, find it hard to resist the temptation of the 30 silver coins. Some shepherds are ready to throw their sheep to the wolves for 30 silver pieces. Because, let's face it, that brown envelope has an irresistible attraction, like the forbidden fruits in the Garden of Eden.”

The representative of the Holy Father in Kenya continued, “Some shepherds, whether politicians or religious, identify authority with power, and they abuse their power for their own goals. They are ready to lord it over the people in order to protect their own interests”

He reminded Bishop Lelei that authority in the Church must be rooted in service, not domination. He said, “Jesus’ authority was not imposed. It was recognized because it was aligned with truth, with mercy, and divine mission. Authority is about looking after the interests of the sheep and not your own.”

Titles and rituals are not enough, Archbishop van Megen said, and citing St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, added, “If I speak in the tongues of men or angels but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love, I am nothing. Christ will disown me and keep the door to the Kingdom shut.”

He encouraged Bishop Lelei to lead the newly erected Kenyan Diocese with courage and pastoral closeness, always anchoring his Episcopal Ministry in prayer, accountability, and self-reflection.

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“May God, who has begun this good work in you, bring it to completion, Amen,” Archbishop van Megen implored.

In his maiden speech as Local Ordinary of Kapsabet, Bishop Lelei expressed gratitude to the Church, government, and faithful for their support and pledged to focus his Episcopal Ministry on strengthening faith, building Church infrastructure, and fostering ecumenism.

He noted that the time for celebration must give way to building the future of the Diocese. “Now, after the creation of the new Diocese, what next? We cannot continue celebrating. We need to enhance and deepen the faith of our people because we need to confirm what they believe, and we need to show them the way,” he said.

The Kenyan Catholic Bishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in May 2024 as Auxiliary Bishop of Eldoret following his Episcopal appointment in March 2024 went on to outline immediate priorities.

He said, “As for now, we don’t have a (Diocesan) Secretariat yet; we don’t have a Bishop’s House. Of course, we have one, but a two-bedroom house is not enough. Suppose I have visitors, where do they go? None of these Bishops will be coming. I cannot take them to a hotel. They need a good house.”

Other priorities, Bishop Lelei said, include the construction of a Cathedral and a pastoral training center for catechesis and seminars.

He noted the challenge of limited space in Kapsabet township, where the new Diocese is headquartered, which he described as “a small compound with about six institutions.”

“There is a need to expand so that schools can have space, the hospital can have space, the physically challenged children can have space, and so on,” he said.

On ecumenism, Bishop Lelei addressed leaders of Protestant churches present at the celebration. He said, “There is need for us to work together, working together as a team, because you are preaching Christ where you are. I preach differently, you preach differently, the message is the same. I think we need to have that spiritual spirit that we work together.”

According to the Vatican July 2025 statistics, Kapsabet Diocese that measures 2,888.4 km² has started off with 313,655 Catholics from a population of 885,711 people, representing 35.4 percent.

With St. Peter’s Catholic Parish in the township of Kapsabet as its Cathedral, the Kenyan Diocese covers the territory of Kenya’s Nandi County. It has 36 Parishes, 52 Priests, 44 of them Diocesan and eight members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL).