Two clerics ordained deacons in Nairobi
On Friday 20 December 2024 two clerics were ordained deacons in Kenya: Deacon Harrison Kariuki from Kenya and Deacon Kenneth Arteta from the Philippines. Both were in their fourth year of theology.
The Eucharistic celebration, attended by hundreds of faithful and a dozen priests, was presided over by Mgr. Simon Kamomoe, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Nairobi.
Deacons, or superiors?
He began his homily by expressing gratitude to God for the gift of the family, because it is through families that we were celebrating the gift of Harrison and Kenneth. He reflected on how deacons are a sign of hope for the Church and for the Congregation.
Taking the reading from the Book of Numbers, he spoke of how Moses was charged to choose young men to help in the work of God.
He urged that deacons exist to serve and not to be served, and asked the deacons whether they wanted to be deacons or superiors — a question that produced a moment of lightness and good humour among the faithful.
He concluded by urging the deacons to have a charitable heart, since a heart full of charity seeks to pray and to help. Such a heart allows a person to rise above the technicalities that grow inside us, and to pray simply for the sake of praying.
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