St. Josemaria Celebrated Around East Africa

Around the world and around the 26th of June, many people make a special effort to celebrate one of the more recent saints of the Church: St. Josemaria Escriva.

His Lordship Bishop Cornelius Korir was the main celebrant in the Mass in Nairobi

In the Eastern African region, there were up to twenty public Masses in 18 locations in 3 countries offered in thanksgiving for the life and teachings of the founder of Opus Dei.

The most recent Mass was held in Ongata Rongai, Nairobi at the end of July. In Tanzania's Dar es Salaam, there was one public Mass at St. Peter's Church. In Uganda there were two Masses: one in the Cathedral of Kampala, and the second in Rukungiri - about 400 kilometres South West of Kampala.

Section of the congregation attending the Mass in the Cathedral in Nyeri

The Mass in Holy Ghost Cathedral, Mombasa had about 150 people attending including 40 primary school children from St Josemaría Academy, Makupa (Makupa is the oldest parish in Kenya).

Mass in honour of St. Josemaria in Machakos

A few of the Masses had bishops as the main celebrant such as in Lodwar where the local ordinary His Lordship Bishop Dominic Kimengich was the main celebrant, Nakuru where Bishop Maurice Muhatia presided over the Mass in his cathedral, Nairobi where Bishop Cornelius Korir was the main celebrant at the Holy Family Basilica, or in Kampala where His Grace Archbishop Emmanuel Obbo from the Archdiocese of Tororo.

His Grace Archbishop Emmanuel Obbo was the main celebrant in Christ the King Cathedral in Kampala