His Lordship Rt. Rev. John Mbua Mwandi has celebrated his first Holy Mass as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui at Our Lady of Africa Cathedral, Kitui, calling on the faithful to deepen their faith and remain steadfast in their journey with Christ amid the challenges of life.
In his homily, Bishop John Mwandi has reflected on the Gospel account of Peter walking on water, noting that Peter’s journey is also the journey of every Christian. He said that, like Peter, Christians encounter many storms and challenges that can weaken their faith and cause them to lose sight of Christ. “Despite the waves that trouble us, we sometimes experience fear, but God is always near us,” he said.
He noted that God does not always reveal Himself through loud or dramatic signs, but often comes to His people quietly and calmly. He encouraged the faithful to remain attentive to God’s presence, especially during difficult moments. Bishop Mwandi has urged Christians to pray with faith, particularly when facing challenges, saying that a simple prayer such as “God, help me” expresses the need for Christ’s assistance as they continue their journey of faith.
He asked the faithful to pray for him to be a good shepherd who listens both to the voice of Christ and to the needs of the people entrusted to his pastoral care. He expressed his desire to carry the concerns and needs of Christians and priests and to listen to them with love.
In his address after Mass, Bishop Mwandi expressed gratitude for the responsibility entrusted to him, saying he has accepted the mission with humility and a commitment to serve the people with love. “I have received this responsibility with humility, and I will serve you with great love, guided by proper plans that we shall put in place to lead this Diocese,” Bishop Mwandi said.
He outlined several areas that will receive attention during his pastoral ministry, including the welfare of priests, collaboration with missionaries, strengthening the financial sustainability of the Diocese, supporting families to become strong and stable, promoting vocations, and caring for the less privileged.
Bishop Mwandi called on the clergy, religious, and faithful to work together as one family in building the Diocese and advancing the mission of Christ.
Building on Bishop Mwandi’s call for collaboration, Rt. Rev. Joseph Mwongela, Coadjutor Bishop of Machakos, has thanked the faithful for their continued support of the Diocese of Kitui. He has encouraged them to remain hopeful and has called for greater commitment to self-reliance as the Diocese continues to grow in its mission. Bishop Mwongela has also encouraged Bishop Mwandi to embrace his new responsibility with courage and confidence, urging him not to be afraid to take up the challenges of leadership and to work boldly in advancing the mission of the Diocese.
Similar, Most Rev. Dominic Kimengich, Coadjutor Archbishop of Mombasa, encouraged the clergy and faithful to continue working together in carrying out the mission of God.
Adding his voice to the messages of encouragement, Most Rev. Anthony Muheria, Archbishop of Nyeri, has expressed his joy at seeing the Diocese of Kitui flourishing. He has called on the faithful to continue praying for Bishop Mwandi so that he may carry out his ministry faithfully and lead the Diocese according to the will of Christ.
The celebration culminated in a cake-cutting ceremony, marking Bishop Mwandi’s first Mass at Our Lady of Africa Cathedral and symbolizing the joyful beginning of his pastoral ministry as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui.
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