Three Kenyan brothers profess perpetual vows
On Saturday 11 March, three Kenyan brothers — Samuel Muthoka, Austine Namusende and Martin Kamau — made their final profession in the Formation House in Nairobi. Many Orionine confreres from various communities in Kenya took part, together with many seminarians and clerics in formation, the parents of the three brothers, their relatives, friends and their classmates from the Salesian theological college.
The celebration was presided over by Fr. Anthony Njenga, Regional Superior of Kenya, who received the perpetual profession of the three brothers on behalf of the Superior General, Fr. Tarcisio.
Abraham, and the vine
In his homily Fr. Anthony invited the three brothers to imitate Abraham in consecrating themselves for life. Abraham, a man and a witness of hope and trust in the Lord, obeyed God who called him to move to another land, though he might have been stopped by fear of the unknown and by uncertainty. He believed God’s promises — a sign of total abandonment to the God who calls.
As Abraham was told he would be a source of blessing for all nations, Fr. Anthony reminded them to be a source of blessing through their religious consecration. He also invited them to be joined to Christ, the vine, and to be wholly rooted in him so as to bear fruit in their religious consecration: our identity and our mature vocation flow from the one thing necessary, union with God, which founds and develops the spiritual life and the apostolic works.
The three confreres were encouraged to throw themselves into the fire of the new times and to imitate our holy Founder St. Luigi Orione in his holiness, and at the same time to carry holiness wherever they find themselves as consecrated men. Recalling the words of Don Orione, Fr. Anthony said that on 3 March 1914 St. Luigi Orione addressed the students still in formation with these words:
“I need holy sons! The mission promises very well, but I need saints!”
St. Luigi Orione, 3 March 1914It would be necessary, the Founder went on, that he find at least one of them and send him quickly — but he needed saints. He would not mind if they were young, they would learn the language soon enough; what he needed was that whoever goes should carry holiness there.
The Region of Kenya is young as far as the presence of the Congregation goes, but it has shown hope, and this Orionine presence is growing steadily. Kenya now has seventeen religious in perpetual vows. God bless Kenya. Ave Maria e avanti.
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