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| Sr. Irene Stefani, Consolata Missionary Sister |
The Catholic Church in Kenya for the first time in its history will celebrate the beatification of a Consolata Missionary, Sister Irene Stefani in the country.
Venerable Sr. Irene Stefani will be beatificatied on May 23, 2015 at the Dedan Kimathi University grounds in Nyeri, Kenya.
Bishop Kihara described Sr. Irene’s love as total self-giving and cited miracles that have happened through her intercession.
Speaking during the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) – Commission for Missions Annual General Meeting at the Watakatifu Wote Centre in the Diocese of Ngong, the Bishop Chairman of the Commission for Missions, Rt. Rev. Peter Kihara, described Sr. Irene’s love as total self-giving and cited miracles that have happened through her intercession.
“There have been miracles reported, authenticated and confirmed due to her intercession,” said Bishop Kihara adding that “One of the miracles happened among the Christians in Mozambique when water of the baptismal font of the Church of Nipepe (Diocese of Lichinga, Niasa, Mozambique) multiplied and served catechists from different parishes of the dioceses through her intercession.”
The bishop said the Church wants to present her to the people as a model.
Sister Irene came to Kenya in 1914. According to Bishop Kihara, Sr. Irene, dedicated her service to the poor and the sick, an act which earned her a special name ‘Nyaatha’ by local people- due to her acts of mercy. Her service to poor and the sick made her contract a deadly strain of plague in Gikondi in Nyeri and died in 1930.
It is said Sr. Irene's intercession was invoked by the Christians of Mozambique who had taken refuge in a church following the civil war in the country. Due to this, there was enough water for all the refugees in the church for three and a half days, and not just for drinking, but also to cool off from the sweat and also to wash a baby girl born on that occasion and called Irene. Her remains were buried in a Church in Mathari in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri.
Bishop Kihara said this year the Church in Kenya feels very blessed since many congregations are celebrating their golden and silver jubilees, a sign that the Church in Kenya is slowly becoming mature, strong and more vibrant. He urged the missionaries to continue being the light and salt to the world appealing to the faithful to support those in mission.
Meanwhile, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, His Excellency Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo has urged the Diocesan Pontifical Missionary Societies (PMS) Directors to emulate St. Paul who was bound by the love of Jesus Christ to spread the Gospel.
Delivering his official speech at the same meeting of the Diocesan Pontifical Missionary Societies (PMS), the apostolic Nuncio also quoted Pope Francis who encourages the priests to be joyful announcers of the Gospel.
The AGM which is being coordinated by the PMS National Director, Rev. Fr. Celestino Bundi, brought together PMS Diocesan Directors and Holy Childhood Coordinators. The meeting was also graced by the host bishop, Rt. Rev. John Oballa Owaa.
By Rose Achiego, Waumini Communications KCCB