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Sabbatical is a Way of Honoring God, Kenyan Priests, Religious Told

Bishop Jackson Murugara of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Meru. Credit: Radio Maria Kenya
Nicholas Waigwa

By Nicholas Waigwa

Nairobi, 05 December, 2025 / 4:41 pm (ACI Africa).

Bishop Jackson Murugara of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Meru has highlighted the pastoral value of undertaking sabbatical describing it as an important moment of spiritual renewal and act of “honoring God.”

In his homily at the graduation Mass for Priests, men and women Religious who completed a four-month formation program at the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Center, Bishop Murugara underscored the importance of ongoing formation.

“I don’t want you to think that coming here for a sabbatical is ordinary, something minor or very small. It is something significant. It’s a way of honoring God,” the Bishop said in his December 5 homily. 

He added, “You may have heard negative rumors about this place, that only troubled Sisters or Priests with problems were sent here. But you have now seen the truth. It is for people who want to grow. It is for people of good will who desire reflection.” 

The Coadjutor Bishop of the Kenyan Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in May 2025 noted that the time spent at a sabbatical center, as a place of growth grants one the opportunity to stop, reflect, and ask: ‘Where am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going?’

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“You have been here for four months, and through the speakers and Bishops who have accompanied you, I believe you have identified things that may have hindered your faith,” Bishop Murugara said.

The Kenyan member of the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries (IMC) expressed hope that the 38 members of the 25th  graduating group of the sabbatical Center in the Catholic Diocese of Muranga had gone through a moment of renewal, regained their strength and deepened their love for Christ.

Bishop Murugara urged the graduands to draw inspiration from St. John Paul II, to whom the sabbatical facility is entrusted, describing him as “a great saint” who inspired, and continues to inspire many people.

Thethe IMC member said, in reference to St. John Paul II, “Personally, he inspired me in 1995 when he came to Kenya. When I attended the Mass, my life was never the same again. I was a seminarian then, but he inspired me a lot.”

He added, “I believe that even today, as we celebrate in this institution under his protection, named after him, St. John Paul II continues to inspire many people around the world, and especially us gathered here today.”

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“Think back and reflect on his life,” he said, referring to the 264th Pontiff, who he remembered for inspiring many people through his pristine Ministry to understand the mystery of Christ, especially through the Eucharistic Congresses he attended across different continents. 

He added, “St. John Paul II is also a model of suffering. He suffered until the very end, physically and painfully, yet he never lost hope, even when he could no longer speak.”

The Bishop said that throughthe Saint John Paul II’s inspiration, the sabbatical institution was founded, along with many others. “These things should remind us of the spirit of St. John Paul II. It is our time now to reflect on him,” he said. 

Nicholas Waigwa

Nicholas Waigwa is a Kenyan multimedia journalist and broadcast technician with a professional background in creating engaging news stories and broadcasting content across multiple media platforms. He is passionate about the media apostolate and Catholic Church communication.

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