Tuesday, August 12, 2008 11:15:09 AM Kitui: Bishop Muheria Is Installed   The Third bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui, His Lordship Rt. Rev. Anthony Muheria finally took charge of the diocese.  This was after an installation ceremony held on August 9th, 2008 that was witnessed by Dignitaries and thousands of faithful from within and without Kitui Diocese, including His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio Alain Paul Lebeaupin, His Eminence, John Cardinal Njue, and His Excellence President Mwai Kibaki.    The celebrations actually started on 8th August 2008, when the 45 year old Bishop Muheria was escorted from Embu diocese in a convoy of several vehicles, and received by jubilant faithful of Kitui Diocese at Kanyonyoo, Kabati Parish, some 50 Kilometers North West of Kitui town.   At Kanyonyoo, Kabati, Migwani and Nguutani Parishes were present to receive the new Bishop on behalf of the Diocese, lead by the Vicar-General, Very Rev. Fr. Robert Mutui.   Bishop was then escorted through Kabati town, to Matinyani where he was received by Mutune Parish, who then handed him over to Boma and Mulutu parishes at Syongila Junction, just five kilometers from Kitui town.   Business in Kitui town came to stand still as, upon entering the town, the Bishop joined his flock to walk towards the Cathedral as the congregation sang and danced all the way for one kilometer, up to Kitui Cathedral, where the outgoing Kitui Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Martin Kivuva was waiting for the new Diocesan Shepherd.   “Welcome home, my Brother, because the Lord has only one Vineyard,” said Bishop Kivuva, before embracing the new Bishop, whom, he then led him into the cathedral where both of them addressed the jubilant faithful.    People from all over this country trickled into Kitui high school grounds as early as 7am, the following morning, though the installation was to start three hours later.   The press arrived early to set up their tools of business, as the Cathedral Second Mass/ Ilooi/ Unyaa mass choir practiced; the installation planning committee checked out every fine detail to ensure nothing went wrong, as the police controlled the traffic, both human and vehicles.   Finally, just few minutes to 10.00am the St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary (Mwingi) bus ferrying (Arch) bishops/ Cardinal/ Nuncio from Boma Cathedral, where they were vesting to Kitui School, arrived and was met with ululations. Few Minutes later, President’s entourage arrived and was received by the Nuncio, the Cardinal and Bishop Martin Kivuva.    The Catholic Women lined on both sides, creating a human corridor along the path which the Bishop-to-be-Installed would walk through, led by the Procession of offertory dancers, the Mass servers, the clergy, (Arch) Bishops, the Cardinal and the Nuncio…   Then there he was!    The entire congregation burst into wild ululations, the choir sang, the old clapped, and the young danced their hearts out, as new Bishop was being escorted to the Altar by two Embu Priests, where his official appointment was read, in English by Fr. Francis Minogue, the currently oldest Missionary (St. Patrick’s Kiltegan) in Kitui diocese and then, in local dialect, Kikamba by Fr Robert Mutui, the Vicar-General.    Murang’a-born Bishop Muheria was then installed in a ceremony conducted by the Cardinal, the Apostolic Nuncio, and the outgoing Apostolic Administrator Bishop Kivuva, before he (Bishop Muheria) started the Holy Mass celebration.   And his first, but recurring message of the sermon to all present was: “Cast your nets into deep waters.   “Jesus Christ today calls us to cast our nets even deeper in order to catch the fish. We have that duty in our social, economic and even political lives to cast even deeper,” Said the Bishop.    Watching their son installed as the third Bishop of Kitui were his Parents, Mama Njambi and Mzee Thomas Ngugi, who were seated some meters in front of the main dais.    Once made the residential Bishop of Kitui, Bishop Muheria executed his first duty:     “I want to confirm Fr. Robert Mutui still as the vicar-General for the time being. I also want to confirm the Consultors who have been in the office to continue with their positions for the time being, up to the time I will appoint new office bearers.”   According to the Code of Cannon law (Can. 481(1)), the powers of the Vicar-General can cease immediately, when the Episcopal See (in that Diocese) falls vacant.  Also According to Canon Law (can.502 (1)) the college of consultors’ office is appointed after its canonical term of five years is over (though it can continue being in the office until new office has been constituted.    On both accounts, Bishop Muheria is thus mandated to appoint new office bearers as among his first duties.   The ceremony was also attended by The Emeritus Archbishop Most Rev. Raphael Ndingi, Emeritus Bishops Rt. Rev. Ambrose Ravasi and Rt. Rev. Linus Okok, Bishops: Rt. Rev. Joseph Mairura (Kisii); Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Okombo (Kericho), Rt. Rev. Phillip Anyolo (Homa bay), Rt. Rev. Virgilio Pante (Maralal); Rt. Rev. Paul Darmanin (Garissa); Rt. Rev.  Francis Baldachino (Malindi); Rt. Rev. Maurice Crowley; Archbishop Most Rev. Boniface Lele, Vicar-generals from several dioceses, faithful from within and without Kitui Diocese.   The country’s Political leadership, led by President Kibaki, and including Minister for Water and Development, who is also Kitui Central (local) MP, Hon. Charity Kaluki Ngilu and the minister for Nairobi metropolis, Hon. Mutula Kilonzo was also present.   In his address, Archbishop Boniface Lele of Mombasa, but from Kitui by birth, expressed optimism that the new Bishop will have a very happy flock to work with, calling the faithful in Kitui to support the new shepherd.   “The more interior you go, the happier people you will find,” said the Archbishop. And the Emeritus Archbishop Raphael Ndingi promised to continue praying for Kitui and its new Bishop.   Also, not to be left out were church groups in Kitui through speeches delivered by their Diocesan Leaders, where men declared their support for the new Bishop, as the women welcomed him home.   And the Youth were ecstatic: “Those who watched the first installation as young men and women on April 24, 1964 (of our First Bishop William Dunne) are now watching right now, as history repeat itself as members of CWA and CMA.   “But to we, the young people, it is a chapter of history unfolding,” said Joseph Mutemi, the Diocesan youth President, Kitui.   The clergy and the Religious declared to support the new bishop to evangelize even more.   Bishop Muheria then underwent through a Kamba cultural rite of initiation, locally known as “Kutumisw’a” (Literary: “being initiated a Kamba community elder”) when the men’s Association gave him figurative gifts of elders’ walking staff, Bow and arrow, and then he was made to sit on a special three legged Kamba traditional stool, symbolizing Leadership, ability to guard his flock from enemies of faith and morals and seat of Authority, respectively   Bishop Martin Kivuva then thanked all the faithful in Kitui; the Clergy, the Religious and laity for supporting him when he was the Apostolic Administrator, saying that he was ‘going back to Machakos a happy man’.   The political leaders present paid tribute to great pastoral, development and social programmes undertaken by the Catholic Church all over.   In their concluding remarks, the Cardinal urged Embu diocese, with support of its friends and neighbours to continue praying for a new shepherd, as the Nuncio thanked and congratulated Muheria as he took charge of Kitui Diocese.   As the New Bishop, Rt. Rev. Muheria celebrated his first mass at Kitui cathedral on Sunday 10th, 2008, a day after his installation.   Kitui had been without Residential Bishop since June 25th, 2005, when the then Bishop Boniface Lele was appointed the Archbishop of Mombasa.   The dioceses in Kenya which currently are Apostolic Administrators, pending appointment of residential Bishops are Nakuru (under Rt. Rev. Phillip Anyolo), Embu (Rt. Rev. Anthony Muheria) and Murang’a (John Cardinal Njue).      (END)