22 YEARS IN MEMORY OF THE SERVANT OF GOD MAURICE MICHAEL CARDINAL OTUNGA
The Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya has urged Christians to draw inspiration from the life of the Servant of God, Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga, describing him as a humble shepherd whose legacy of simplicity, prayer, and service continues to guide the Church in Kenya and beyond.
Preaching during Mass at the Resurrection Garden in Nairobi during the commemoration of the 22nd anniversary of Cardinal Otunga’s death, the Nuncio reflected on the enduring impact of Kenya’s first Cardinal, whose beatification process is currently underway.
“Cardinal Otunga’s greatness did not lie in titles or positions but in the profound simplicity of his life and the authenticity of his faith,” he said. “Though he occupied some of the highest offices in the Church, he remained, in his own words, just a simple servant of God.”
Born in 1923 in Chibukwa village now Bungoma County, Cardinal Otunga rose to prominence as Archbishop of Nairobi before being elevated to the College of Cardinals in 1973. Despite these high responsibilities, His Excellency the nuncio noted, Cardinal Otunga’s humility over power and holiness over recognition. “In a world increasingly drawn to self-advancement, Cardinal Otunga chose a different path, one of surrender,” he emphasized.
Cardinal Otunga’s pastoral legacy remains visible across Kenya. He co-founded Nyumba ya Wazee in Kasarani to care for the elderly poor and supported projects aimed at uplifting those in informal settlements. His name is honored through institutions such as Cardinal Otunga High School in Kisii, Cardinal Otunga Girls’ High School in Bungoma, and Cardinal Otunga Plaza in Nairobi.
“These institutions continue to shape generations with values of integrity, faith, and service that defined Cardinal Otunga’s life,” the Nuncio remarked.
He further reminded the faithful of the ongoing process toward Otunga’s beatification, highlighting the importance of prayer and personal testimony in advancing the cause. Declared a “Servant of God,” Cardinal Otunga is being studied for his heroic virtues, with the next stage beings recognition as “Venerable” by the Vatican.
“The canonization of Cardinal Otunga would not only honor a great son of Kenya but also offer the universal Church a radiant model of African holiness,” the Nuncio said. He encouraged Christians to pray through Otunga’s intercession and to report any miracles attributed to him to the Archdiocese of Nairobi.
He concluded by urging the faithful to imitate Otunga’s virtues in their daily lives, noting that sainthood is not only about official recognition but about living out the Gospel. “Kenya needs her own saint,” he said. “The life of Cardinal Otunga speaks with striking clarity to the needs of our Church and the world today – calling us to simplicity, humility, prayer, and service.”
