Kenya got another blind catholic church priest through an ordination service in Nyeri county on Saturday, January 14.
The event saw Reverend Michael Mithamo King'ori based at the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri, admitted into the priesthood.
Archbishop Anthony Muheria who conferred the holy orders was assisted by Reverend Peter Kairu, emeritus of Nyeri, at Kiamuiru Catholic Parish, St. John Bosco Kiamuiru Primary School Grounds.
Reverend Muheria has been on the front line in defending the church from political attacks.
Sharing the news, Radio Maria, which is owned by the Catholic Church described the event as one of a kind ever held.
“Jubilation and thanksgiving to God as the Catholic Church in Kenya witness the extraordinary ordination of the first blind priest, Mithamo of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri to the priesthood,” part of the report read.
Bishop Muheria, who publicly shared different ordeals during the late Mwai Kibaki burial, was also lauded for making the service a success.
“His is a story of "with God, all things are possible." Congratulations to Fr Mithamo and gratitude to Muheria for granting such a fete of grace,” the report stated.
Radio Waumini also announced that history had been made in Kenya seeing that Mithamo had raised against all odds.
“Kenya has Received a great gift for the first time in History. The ordination of a visually impaired priest was witnessed today. Mithamo today was ordained a Catholic priest in the Catholic archdiocese of Nyeri by Muheria the Archbishop of Nyeri Catholic Archdiocese. To God Be the Glory,” it noted.
Mithamo had been serving as a deacon at the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri.
He was ordained alongside other priests; Alexander Murage Wanjiku, Joseph Waihenya Kirira, George Gitonga Wamuyu, Mathew Karimi Njogu and John Wanjohi Nyawira.
Their ordination came shortly after Maria Carola was beautified to sainthood on Saturday, November 5, at an event held at Kinoru Stadium in Meru county.
The announcement of the beatification was authorized by Pope Francis in December 2021 and later announced by the Sisters of St. Joseph Cottelengo after a miracle attributed to her was recognized.
This becomes a second major event to happen within a span of a week in the Catholic church in the country after a 29-year-old lady got married to the same church on January 8.
Father Luis Saldanha who was blind also served as a priest of the Catholic church in Kenya. Born on on February 1, 1947, on the outskirts of Nairobi, he was not born blind - a degenerative disease robbed him of his sight.
