“Good work!”: Pope Francis Congratulates Kenya’s New Military Ordinary after Short Stint as Auxiliary Bishop

Pope Francis said Bishop Wallace’s appointment as Local Ordinary of the Military Ordinariate followed concerns about “the care for the spiritual needs of the soldiers in Kenya.”

Reiterating the Holy Father’s message at the October 12 celebration that was held at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya, Archbishop Hubertus van Megen, said that Bishop Wallace was “the right man in the right place” following his appointment to serve in the Military Ordinariate.

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“The Holy Father has recognized in him (Bishop Wallace) many values which make him suitable for that the office of Military Ordinary,” Archbishop van Megen said.

The Dutch-born Vatican diplomat added, “Bishop Wallace, the way I know him, is a hard worker, disciplined and intelligent. He holds himself to the highest standards and expects that others would do the same.”

“He is courageous and without fear. He is the right person in the right place at the right moment”, Archbishop van Megan said, and went on to describe the appointment and eventual installation of Bishop Wallace as Kenya’s Military Ordinary as “God’s providence at work.”

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In his address at the October 12 event, the Chairman of the  Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, described Bishop Wallace’s installation as both “historic” and “revelatory”.

“Historic because since Kenya gained independence, this is only the third Catholic Bishop in the military, the first having been the servant of God Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga,” Archbishop Muhatia said, adding that after Cardinal Otunga, came Bishop Alfred Kipkoech Arap Rotich, who is now the Local Ordinary of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Kericho.

“The celebrations today are very historic, and we thank God because today we get the third Bishop in the person of Rt. Rev. Wallace Ng’ang’a,” the Archbishop of Kenya’s Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu said.

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The October 12 installation celebration was also “revelatory”, he said, because it touches “at the deepest core of the very constitution of the human person.”

“The role of Military Ordinariate is to render spiritual and pastoral service to our brothers and sisters, who are created in the image and likeness of God looking after their brothers and sisters created in the same image and likeness of God,” Archbishop Muhatia said.

He added, “As the Psalmist says, unless the Lord watches over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. And therefore, unless the Lord watches over a country, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. Unless the Lord watches over Kenya, in vain do we keep vigil. This means that our brothers and sisters in the military are continuing the work of God because it is God who takes care of a human person.” 

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN)

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Thousands of military men and women, who were led by General Charles Muriu Kahariri, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), participated in the October 12 celebration.

In his speech, General Kahariri said the event marked “a big milestone in the KDF spiritual journey.”

The Kenyan CDF lauded the presence of Catholic Chaplaincies that he said ensure that the KDF and their respective families receive spiritual guidance and nourishment in order to navigate the unique challenges they encounter while discharging their duties in the defense of the country.

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“A soldier who is spiritually grounded is better prepared to serve our nation with honor and dedication,” he said. 

Congratulating Bishop Wallace on his appointment and installation as the third Local Ordinary of the Military Ordinariate, the CDF said, “We look forward to your spiritual leadership. We look forward to working with you and have no doubt that you shall fit in seamlessly within the military.”

In his speech at the installation event, Kenya’s President William Samoei Ruto has also described the event as “a momentous event”, which he said “underscores the profound role of faith, faith-based leadership, and faith-based organizations in fostering ethics and integrity in national service.”

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“This event also underlines the role of faith in strengthening patriotism, deepening national unity, and mobilizing citizens to selflessly undertake,” President Ruto said.

The appointment and installation of Bishop Wallace as the Military Ordinary in Kenya is “more than a routine change of stewards,” he said, and added, “We are here to witness and to celebrate the contribution of moral leadership in reinforcing unity, resilience and strength for our Defense forces.”

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN)

The Kenyan president expressed optimism that the Military Ordinariate would continue to provide soldiers with essential spiritual support.