Opening of the second monastery of Augustinian Recollect Sisters in Kenya

On that day the small community of Augustinian Recollect nuns started their activities very early with morning prayers, the recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours, a short time of meditation and a quick breakfast, since at 7,00 A.M. they had to hurry up from Bethany House, in Lodwar, towards the Parish of Nakwamekwi in order to prepare everything for the celebration.

Upon reaching the Parish of Nakwamekwi, where Saint Augustine’s Monastery is located, they met many volunteers who were cleaning the church, the choir and the areas that were about to be blessed, together with all those who had been invited. They worked willingly and with pleasure because they had been informed of the of the event and what it meant to have a Monastery of nuns among them.

Little by little the priests who would be concelebrating were arriving; the Combonian Fathers Rafael Cefalo and Elías Ciapetti, Italians, and Aarón Cendejas, from México, Chaplains to serve the Augustinian Recollect Sisters community; Fr. Francisco Andreo García and members of the Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle; sisters of other congregations; members of the Choir; students of the neighbouring School; a group of young girls dressed in brightly coloured costumes according to the Kenyan style, who were to sing and dance during the celebration; and many other invited guests to fill up the church building.

As scheduled, at 9, 00 A.M. sharp, the liturgical celebration of the dedication and blessing of Saint Augustine’s Monastery began. The procession started from the sacristy and walked out of the convent. The doors were opened to those who made up the procession: the alter servers, the founding sisters, the guests, ten concelebrant priests and finally the main celebrant, the Bishop.

When all were at the at the entrance door of the church, Bishop Patrick Harrington welcomed the assembly in English and Turkana, inviting them to join in his invocation to ask God’s blessing on the church and monastery that were dedicated to Saint Augustine, and asking also God’s peace and renewal of spirit for those who come to pray with confidence to that church.

The bishop blessed the water, which he used to sprinkle the church building on the outside and the entrance door, while two of the assisting priests went inside to bless the Monastery built units. The same procedure followed with the incense. Monsignor finished sprinkling with holy water the people gathered there.

The liturgical rite went on with the opening ceremony of the church door. Mother Adoración Matamoros first cut the symbolic ribbon. The Bishop gave the key to pen the padlock, and struck the church door three times with his staff and stepped inside to bless and incense the church. Completed this ritual, the singing of the Gloria gave way inside to the ministers, nuns and rest of the assembly. The nuns went to the choir through the presbytery.

After the opening prayer, Mother Adoración Matamoros, president of the Federation of the Augustinian Recollect sisters of Mexico, gave some information about the religious Congregation to which they belong, about the Congregation Charisma and their specific mission, about their nationality, and about the reason of their presence in the Lodwar diocese.

The readings were proclaimed in the English, Spanish and Turkana languages. After the Gospel, Father Alfredo Arambarri Olarte, an Augustinian Recollect priest who is the chaplain of the Federation Recollect Sisters in Mexico read the Protocol No. 20039-2010 from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies for Apostolic Life by which was granted “a license to start the foundation of a new Augustinian Recollect Nuns Monastery in the city and diocese of Lodwar, Kenya, with the following sisters: Sister Angelina M. Pérez Durán, Sister M. Anita Ángel Avilés, Sister Ana María Martínez Mata, Sister Belén Josefina Ortiz Mondragón, and Sister Maricela González Escalona” and some other requests granted to the new community. The same Rescript was read in English by the Vicar general of the Lodwar diocese, Father Francis Teo, MCSPA (Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle).

The homily, delivered in English, was also translated into the Turkana language. And is was followed by the sang Litanies of the Saints. The dedication prayer was recited and the altar was anointed with the Chrism oil and the incense. A tablecloth was placed on the altar. Two candles were lit, symbolizing Christ, Light of the world and present in these who are gathered in his name. The candles were given to two of the founding sisters, who placed them on each side of the altar.

Another founding Recollect sister made a petition in Spanish for the Lodwar diocese and for those who belong to the same diocese in the Prayers of the Faithful. Four other nuns presented the offering gifts.

After Communion, the Bishop blessed the Tabernacle, placed the Ciborium with the consecrated hosts, exposed the Blessed Sacrament for the first time, oriented it toward the monastic choir in which the community will come every day to praise the Lord on behalf of the Church, and to offer Him their confident prayer on intercession.

The Combonian Parish priest of Nakwamekwi thanked all the participants in the celebration, after the Communion prayer, and the Bishop finally imparted a solemn blessing to all.

Bishop, priests, nuns and all attending people left the church and went to the left side of it, where a vineyard root together with a mango tree was planted, in remembrance of such an historical event.

The guests then moved to the Diocesan Pastoral Centre of “Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus” where a meal was served. Monsignor Harrington and priests shared the table with the founding community. The Bishop was kind and friendly. After the meal the sisters were invited for a tour around the different departments of the Pastoral Centre. Then Bishop Patrick Harrington said goodbye to them and left.

The nuns returned to Lodwar, to Bethany House, their temporary place, waiting for the final arrangements to move back permanently to the new Monastery of Saint Augustine in Nakwamekwi.

This time, with Mexican nuns, God chose to establish a second Monastery of Augustinian Recollect Sisters in Kenya, a Monastery that began its journey in the Parish of Nakwamekwi, on the 25^th. of September 2010. May He hold and carry out this work that belongs to Him.