Cardinal Maurice Otunga

May 29, 2010
By Marsabit Diocese Newsletter
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The Catholic Church in Kenya can now go ahead with the long-waited process that could lead to the canonization the late Maurice Cardinal Otunga. The Vatican has written to the Church, accepting its request to undertake to commence the process of canonization of the late Cardinal Otunga, who passed away on September 6, 2003 at the age of 80. Addressing a huge gathering of the youth while marking the 25th youth day at the St. Mary's Playground, Msongari for the Palm Sunday Mass, Cardinal John Njue said the Church had received the letter to that effect last week. "From today, we shall refer to Otunga as the Servant of God, and not as the late Cardinal Otunga” he further explained. He called upon all who may have evidence that could lead to Otunga being made saint to come forward and present the same.

He further enjoined all Christians to join the Catholic Church in praying for the canonization process. Last year, Cardinal Njue appointed Fr. Anthony Bellagamba as the postulator of the cause of Otunga's beatification. The Catholic theologian is a former professor of Pastoral Theology at the Catholic University (CUEA). Fr Bellagamba, as a postulator coordinates the beatification process by leading a team of Church experts in collecting all information both written and oral testimonies about the candidate's life and work to be presented later to the Congregation for Causes of Saints in Rome. Born in 1923 at Chebukwa in the current Bungoma District Western Kenya and ordained a priest in 1950, Cardinal Otunga passed on having served the Church for more than fifty years. The Cardinal, whose remains are interred at the Resurrection Gardens, Karen near Nairobi was made a Cardinal by the late Pope Paul VI in 1971. Many Catholics have always described him as a man of God, who lived a pious life, worthy of emulation. When he retired from his priestly duties in 1997, the Cardinal opted to live at the home for the aged, Nyumba ya Wazee, situated in Ruaraka on the outskirts of Nairobi until his death six years later.

Last modified on Thursday, 05 February 2015 20:29