Nairobi: Archbishop John Njue installed

Archbishop John Njue, 63, was installed as yesterday the head of the metropolitan archdiocese of Nairobi, replacing the just retired His Grace Ndingi Mwana 'aNzeki. The colorful canonical installation was presided over by the apostolic nuncio to Kenya, Archbishop Alain Paul Lebeaupin, assisted by close to twenty bishops, led by the vice chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, Bishop Philip Sulumeti. Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki and several politicians joined the Catholics in marking this historic occasion of the local church. Archbishop Njue becomes the fourth archbishop to head the metropolitan archdiocese of Nairobi. Others have been the immediate head of the archdiocese, His Grace Ndingi Mwana 'aNzeki, the late Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga and the late John Joseph McCarthy of the Holy Ghost Fathers from Ireland. In his homily, Archbishop Njue appealed to the clergy, the religious men and women, lay people, and the youth to assist him in undertaking the pastoral duties ahead of him as their shepherd. He told the huge congregation, who had turned up for the historic occasion to support him so that his pastoral would be easier. "I will count on you as you count on me", he said. After thatnking Holy Father, he promised: "with God's guidance, I will do my best". He also paid tribute to the outgoing archbishop Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki for the gallant pastoral service among the Christians in the metropolitan archdiocese. President Kibaki described the outgoing archbishop Ndingi as courageous and open minded on issues pertaining to human dignity and the teaching of the Bible. He also welcomed the new archbishop Njue and thanked the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI for the new archbishop as well as creating the same archbishop Njue a cardinal. Addressing the same congregation, Archbishop Lebeaupin urged the Kenyan Catholics to cooperate fully with the new archbishop and cardinal-elect. He said for some time, the local Catholic church has been knocking on his door asking him as to when the Pope was going give them a new cardinal. "Your newly installed archbishop is going to Rome soon and when he comes back, he will be already a cardinal" he said.