SVD KenTan @40

This year, 2024 marks 40 years since the first Divine Word Missionaries arrived in Kenya. SVD Kenya Province was Established by the Generalate in 1984. According to Br. Karl Schaarschmidt, one of the first Missionaries to arrive in Kenya, Fr. Antony Ribello arrived at the end of November 1984, followed by Fr. Mike Keegan and Himself in 1985. Others were the Late Br. Andrew Hotchkiss, and the Fr.  John Muza. The late Fr. Augustine Rodriguez arrived in 1987.

The then Archbishop of Nairobi, Maurice Cardinal Otunga, gave SVD Jericho Parish for the time being while they were preparing to construct a Parish house and the Church in Kayole. Fr. Mike was left in Nairobi organizing the purchase of the Gigiri house while Fr. Antony and Br. Karl went to Garba-Tulla.

The SVD came to Kenya on the invitation of the late Bishop Silas S. Njiro, the then Bishop of Meru Diocese. The SVD mission concentrated in the Northern part of Meru in Garba-Tulla and Odonyiro. This part would later belong to the Isiolo Diocese which was separated from Meru Diocese. In November 1984, Fr. General H. Heekeren wrote to Fr. Anthony Rebello, “We feel that even though we would be working with two teams in Kenya (Garba-Tula and Nairobi) from the beginning we should develop a sense of SVD community where everyone would be interested in and have an understanding for the work going on in both places.”

Since 2000, Kenya Province extended its missionary presence to Tanzania at the invitation of the then Archbishop Josephat Lebulu, now retired. The SVD took over St. Gabriel’s Parish in Burka, now Epiphany Parish. The Archbishop requested SVD to take over Simanjiro Parish located in the remote Maasai South district of Simanjiro. The parish had been without clergy for more than two years. On the 8^th of September 2002, SVD re-opened Good Shepherd Parish, Emboreet, Simanjiro.

The celebrations to mark the Ruby Jubilee were preceded by the provincial assembly which took place on the 5th and part of the 6th of September, and the inauguration of St. Joseph Freinademetz SVD Major Seminary in Njiro Arusha. The main agenda item of the assembly was the presentation of the 19th General Chapter Document, resolutions, and recommendations to the confreres. The Chapter took place from June 16th to July 14th, 2024. Fr. William Odeke and Fr. Lawrence Muthee who attended the Chapter did the presentation. The Theme for the Chapter was “Your light must shine before others” (Mt. 5:16), Faithful and creative disciples in a wounded world. The Capitulas discussed various ways that the Society could respond to the woundedness of the world today. The Chapter Documents contained reflections on our DNA based on the vision and the spirituality of our founder St. Arnold Janssen. We are called to be the light in our respective apostolate.

Archbishop Isaac Amani, the current Archbishop of Arusha Archdiocese presided over three major events that mark the history of SVD in the region and worldwide. These events were the opening of the first SVD Seminary in Tanzania (which included the blessing of the chapel and the tabernacle), the climax of the SVD KenTan Ruby Jubilee, as well as the launching of SVD Worldwide @150 Jubilee, 1875-2025.

On Saturday 7th we gathered at Epiphany Parish Burka for the Ordination of Fr. Emmanuel Kimario, SVD. Fr. Emmanuel is the second Tanzanian SVD priest. Archbishop Amani presided over the ordination mass in the presence of the SVD priests, Brothers, Seminarians, and Lay Partners from Nairobi, Eldoret, and Arusha districts. Present also were priests from the Archdiocese of Arusha, and religious. In his homily, the Archbishop said that the Archdiocese was blessed so much with the presence of SVD. He added that the pastoral approach employed by SVD helps the parishioners grow in faith and self-reliance.

It was a very joyful end of the week that brought together the Arnoldus family and our parishioners to mark very important historical events in the province. We thank God for all his blessings.

Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD