KENYA REVISITED by Fr. Tom McGrath, mhm
(Fr. Tom worked in Kenya for 35 years. He has been ministering in his home parish of Labasheeda, Co. Clare, since he came home from Kenya 9 years ago.)
Fr. Tom and Newly ordained Fr. Stephen - wearing the Mill Hill Red Sash
Communion - Fr. Stephen’s First Mass 8
I am writing this in April while cocooned at home in Labasheeda, on the banks of the Shannon Estuary. It seems like an age since I returned from a month long trip to Kenya over the Christmas holiday. Last September, I received an invitation from a parishioner in Luanda, Stephen Odhiambo Rombo, to his priestly ordination as a Mill Hill Missionary on December 21, 2019. I had been parish priest in Luanda for 13 years before returning to Ireland in 2011. My initial response to Stephen’s invitation was “No, I can’t go.” My sister Mary had only recently finished her 3rd chemotherapy treatment. I didn’t want to abandon her; we live together in our family home in Labasheeda. However, after giving it some thought and with encouragement from Mary herself, I accepted Stephen’s invitation. Fr Paddy McMahon was in residence in Labasheeda and Mary planned to spend Christmas in her house in Swords, Dublin, where she could link up with family and former work colleagues. The people of our parish, Kilmurry McMahon/Labasheeda, had gifted me with a generous amount of money when I celebrated my Golden Jubilee in June 2019. They were delighted when they heard I was using it to go back to Kenya. I would have 4 weeks to enjoy the ordination celebrations, the Christmas festivities and reconnect with old friends again. Autumn 2020
Gathering in Luanda for Fr. Stephen’s First Mass
50 YEARS ON I remember well my first trip to Kisumu on October 11, 1969. The late Fr. Aidan Miskella was at the Airport to pick me up and we went to St Peter’s Seminary in Kakamega where Fr. Kevin O’Rourke, the Rector, warmly welcomed us. Now, fifty years later I travelled via Amsterdam and Nairobi to Kisumu. Fr. Sylvester Odhiambo mhm was waiting for me when I arrived. He took me to the Mill Hill Regional house which was to be my base for the next 3 weeks. I received a really warm welcome from the present Regional, Fr. Philip Adede mhm. Fr. Folkert Kruis mhm, who had been my parish priest in Kibabii 50 years ago, Autumn 2020
came on Saturday morning to take me to Kakamega for the ordinations. The roads are unrecognisable with flyovers, roundabouts, dual carriageways. The Chinese poured lots of money into the Kenya economy. The cathedral grounds were jammed with cars and hundreds of Christians who had come for the ordination of 4 deacons and 2 priests. The ordination Mass was really well prepared, a vibrant choir with liturgical dancers leading the procession - truly edifying! During the ordination ceremony, I was invited to vest the newly ordained Stephen with a white chasuble - a moment of profound significance for me, as we from the Western European Church are now handing over to the young African Church. 9
