“I would like to say a few words about our late Fr.
Joseph Rurunga as I knew him here in Sagana as an Altar boy and, later on, as my superior and rector at Consolata
Seminary.
When I came to Kenya in 1971, I was sent here in the Technical School by Fr. Baudena. At our daily mass, around 6.30 in the morning I used to see a short boy with a smiling face, dressed in the yellow and blue uniform of upper Sagana Primary, serving mass with dignity and devotion.
This boy, on Sundays was also following our late beloved parish priest: Fr. Richard Rossi, known as Fr. Rodi. The boy used to carry the father’s box containing what was needed to celebrate mass at the various outstations of Sagana Parish, sometimes up to 5 masses per day if they were solemnities.
During big feasts and solemnities, (such as Christmas, Easter and others), Fr. Rossi was not happy unless and until he had celebrated a mass in all the small and far Christian communities of his parish. This meant to celebrate 4 to 5 masses in a single day.
Usually Fr. Rossi’s driver would go home after the morning masses, so I used to drive him to Kemathi, Kiambicho and some other distant chapels for religious services.
The smiling small boy always followed him; may be eating only a few bananas and drinking a soda offered him by the Father until the last mass was celebrated; most of the times at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon.
One day, Fr. Rossi told me: ‘you know, this boy wants to become a Consolata Father…’ so… he became! And what a good zealous priest Rurunga was! A model to our young missionary priests and brothers.
When Fr. Joseph Rurunga finished his primary education at the Upper Primary, he joined Muranga Secondary for his higher education. There, besides his study duties, he also joined a lay Carmelite group of which he was the group leader, (guided by Fr. Demarie).
{mosimage}After he finished from 4, he applied to join Consolata Seminary to become a Consolata priest. He was accepted by the then vocation director, (Fr. Demarie) and carried on his seminary studies until the end when he was eventually ordained priest in 1985, just here (in Sagana) outside this Chruch.
Soon after his ordination he was appointed to Mozambique. Then I lost track of him for 13 years. When we met again, it was in 1988 at Consolata Seminary, Nairobi. He had just been appointed Rector and Superior of the same seminary where he had previously been a seminarian!
Here he manifested his good qualities as a man of peace; a man concerned for his subjects’ welfare: both material and spiritual, and as a zealous priest.
AS A MAN OF PEACE – In our community meetings, he usually did not impose his authority nor looked for confrontation, rather he listened to everybody, then he took his decision and presented it for approval.
AS A MAN CONCERNED – He showed his concern in particular towards his seminarians with paternal love, but also with firmness. He used to take his students to the dispensary or hospital by himself and provided them with special diet whenever it was necessary. Once he realized that 2 seminarians used to run away at night. He thus one night remained up for quite a long time until he caught them. He then took appropriate firm decisions.
AS ZEALOUS PRIEST – He wanted liturgical celebrations done well: with precision and joy. He took personal charge of preparing the altar and the ceremonies. This he leaned from Fr. Rodi. Whatever he had previously seen done by Fr. Rossi, he also deed. This was particularly true on Sundays when he would also celebrate 3 masses and would listen to confessions in parishes such as Consolata Shrine, Gachie, Karuri, Kiambaa.
When seminarians behaved in a wrong way, he used to say: ‘that behavior must stop’ and showed them how to behave correctly with encouraging words and examples. He also used to dig in our garden with his students to stimulate love for manual work.
To conclude these few memories about our dear Fr. Joseph Rurunga, let us feel in our hearts gratitude to God for having given us this faithful and zealous priest whose seed will surely germinate inspiring young alter boys to follow in his footsteps.
If you don’t mind, still allow me 2 more minutes to read a letter sent to us by Daniel Kado, once a seminarian at the time of Fr. Rurunga’s tenure of office at Consolata Seminary. Now Daniel Kado has just finished his priestly studies in Brazil and is waiting to be ordained priest soon.
He writes: ‘It is with sorrow that I received the news of the death of Fr. Joseph Rurunga. Fr. Rurunga, or rather, Muthuri, as we used to call him, was my formator and rector for 3 years during my philosophical studies. He was a great father to all of us, a great leader and counselor as the nickname Muthuri suggests, the Kikuyu word for elder, counselor.
The Institute has lost a great formator who has sons spread all over the world as Consolata Missionaries, and also lay people. He has left many orphans. He was a great father, also concerned, ready to help his sons to grow (as he used to say). He was a man with a human heart. May the Lord rest the soul of Fr. Joseph Rurunga in eternal peace. Signed: Daniel Kado from Brazil’”.
When I came to Kenya in 1971, I was sent here in the Technical School by Fr. Baudena. At our daily mass, around 6.30 in the morning I used to see a short boy with a smiling face, dressed in the yellow and blue uniform of upper Sagana Primary, serving mass with dignity and devotion.
This boy, on Sundays was also following our late beloved parish priest: Fr. Richard Rossi, known as Fr. Rodi. The boy used to carry the father’s box containing what was needed to celebrate mass at the various outstations of Sagana Parish, sometimes up to 5 masses per day if they were solemnities.
During big feasts and solemnities, (such as Christmas, Easter and others), Fr. Rossi was not happy unless and until he had celebrated a mass in all the small and far Christian communities of his parish. This meant to celebrate 4 to 5 masses in a single day.
Usually Fr. Rossi’s driver would go home after the morning masses, so I used to drive him to Kemathi, Kiambicho and some other distant chapels for religious services.
The smiling small boy always followed him; may be eating only a few bananas and drinking a soda offered him by the Father until the last mass was celebrated; most of the times at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon.
One day, Fr. Rossi told me: ‘you know, this boy wants to become a Consolata Father…’ so… he became! And what a good zealous priest Rurunga was! A model to our young missionary priests and brothers.
When Fr. Joseph Rurunga finished his primary education at the Upper Primary, he joined Muranga Secondary for his higher education. There, besides his study duties, he also joined a lay Carmelite group of which he was the group leader, (guided by Fr. Demarie).
{mosimage}After he finished from 4, he applied to join Consolata Seminary to become a Consolata priest. He was accepted by the then vocation director, (Fr. Demarie) and carried on his seminary studies until the end when he was eventually ordained priest in 1985, just here (in Sagana) outside this Chruch.
Soon after his ordination he was appointed to Mozambique. Then I lost track of him for 13 years. When we met again, it was in 1988 at Consolata Seminary, Nairobi. He had just been appointed Rector and Superior of the same seminary where he had previously been a seminarian!
Here he manifested his good qualities as a man of peace; a man concerned for his subjects’ welfare: both material and spiritual, and as a zealous priest.
AS A MAN OF PEACE – In our community meetings, he usually did not impose his authority nor looked for confrontation, rather he listened to everybody, then he took his decision and presented it for approval.
AS A MAN CONCERNED – He showed his concern in particular towards his seminarians with paternal love, but also with firmness. He used to take his students to the dispensary or hospital by himself and provided them with special diet whenever it was necessary. Once he realized that 2 seminarians used to run away at night. He thus one night remained up for quite a long time until he caught them. He then took appropriate firm decisions.
AS ZEALOUS PRIEST – He wanted liturgical celebrations done well: with precision and joy. He took personal charge of preparing the altar and the ceremonies. This he leaned from Fr. Rodi. Whatever he had previously seen done by Fr. Rossi, he also deed. This was particularly true on Sundays when he would also celebrate 3 masses and would listen to confessions in parishes such as Consolata Shrine, Gachie, Karuri, Kiambaa.
When seminarians behaved in a wrong way, he used to say: ‘that behavior must stop’ and showed them how to behave correctly with encouraging words and examples. He also used to dig in our garden with his students to stimulate love for manual work.
To conclude these few memories about our dear Fr. Joseph Rurunga, let us feel in our hearts gratitude to God for having given us this faithful and zealous priest whose seed will surely germinate inspiring young alter boys to follow in his footsteps.
If you don’t mind, still allow me 2 more minutes to read a letter sent to us by Daniel Kado, once a seminarian at the time of Fr. Rurunga’s tenure of office at Consolata Seminary. Now Daniel Kado has just finished his priestly studies in Brazil and is waiting to be ordained priest soon.
He writes: ‘It is with sorrow that I received the news of the death of Fr. Joseph Rurunga. Fr. Rurunga, or rather, Muthuri, as we used to call him, was my formator and rector for 3 years during my philosophical studies. He was a great father to all of us, a great leader and counselor as the nickname Muthuri suggests, the Kikuyu word for elder, counselor.
The Institute has lost a great formator who has sons spread all over the world as Consolata Missionaries, and also lay people. He has left many orphans. He was a great father, also concerned, ready to help his sons to grow (as he used to say). He was a man with a human heart. May the Lord rest the soul of Fr. Joseph Rurunga in eternal peace. Signed: Daniel Kado from Brazil’”.
