Solemn Mass on the feast of St. Josemaria at Christ the King Cathedral, Nakuru

The Diocese of Nakuru began a wonderful tradition to celebrate the feast of St. Josemaria annually since 2014.

Deacon Casmir assisting Bishop Muhatia and other priests at the Mass in honour of St. Josemaria in 2016

On 1st of July this year, it will be the fourth of such celebration. I thank God for allowing me to be present in all past three occasions: two as a seminarian (2014 and 2015) and one as a deacon (2016). And this year’s celebration will be a special one for me as it will be my first as a priest. And so I am excited and really looking forward to concelebrate for the first time, Mass on the feast of St. Josemaria Escriva.

Fr. Casmir

St. Josemaria Escriva is a saint who means a lot to me especially now that am a priest. He was a saint who was deeply in love with his priestly vocation and deeply concerned about priests and the priesthood. In his work, The Way, he courageously notes that “To love God and not to venerate His priests…is not possible.” (The Way, n. 74). He often reminded his sons who were ordained priests for

Fr. Casmir was one of the concelebrating priests at the Mass this year

The Work that “A priest’s job is his professional work.” He reminds us, priests, that our job is first and foremost to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We are ordained to celebrate Mass, the rest are just decorations.

I thank God, for giving us such a wonderful saint, who like many other saints reminds us that it is possible to be holy. I thank the Prelature of Opus Dei for the wonderful work they are doing in our

diocese. I thank our Bishop for availing himself to be the principal celebrant for these Masses every year.May St. Josemaria Escriva, the saint of ordinary life, always intercede for us!

The author, Fr. Casmir Odundo, works at St. Veronica Catholic Parish, Keringet, Catholic Diocese of Nakuru.

Email: casmirthomas28@gmail.com