Cardinal John Njue, on Sunday, March 14, dismissed claims that he resigned from his role as the archbishop of Nairobi Diocese.
Speaking at a mass held in his honour in Msongari, Nairobi, the Cardinal noted that he is still carrying out pastoral duties.
He explained that the resignation was only in conformity with the Canon Law, and was only meant to remove him from administrative status.
"Some were saying that I have resigned. I have not pointed you. According to the Canon Law, there comes a time as a Bishop when you have to step aside. Not really going out, but rather being removed from a status of an administration," he stated.
Pope Francis press service, Holy See Press Service, announced that the Cardinal had tendered in his resignation which was accepted by the Holy Father on January 3, 2021.
The Cardinal tendered in his resignation after he attained the mandatory retirement age for Bishops (75 years), as stipulated by Catholic Church's Canon 401 in the Code of Canon Law.
"A diocesan bishop who has completed the seventy-fifth year of age is requested to present his resignation from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who will make provision after he has examined all the circumstances," the dictum states.
Njue was born in 1944 at Kiriari, Embu District, Kenya and was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI on January 6, 1973.
The Cardinal, who holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, was appointed as a philosophy professor and dean of students at St. Augustine Senior Seminary, Mabanga in Bungoma.
He was ordained bishop on 20 September of that year and then coadjutor Archbishop of Nyeri on 23 January 2002. From 2005-2006, he was Apostolic Administrator of the Vicariate of Isiolo. He was also Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Murang’a (2006-2009).
Njue was appointed Archbishop of Nairobi on October 6, 2007.
