Pope Francis Appoints Fr. Henry Juma Odonya as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitale

The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Fr. Henry Juma Odonya as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitale.

The news of Fr. Juma’s appointment was officially published in L’Osservatore Romano in Rome on 4th November 2022 at 12 noon Rome time and 2.00 p.m. Kenyan time. The Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, His Excellency Archbishop Bert Van Megen, also sent an official communication to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) communicating the same.

The Nuncio’s letter reads in part, “I have the honour and pleasure to inform you that Pope Francis has appointed the Reverend Father Henry Juma Odonya as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kitale. The Bishop – Elect comes from the clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret.”

Bishop-Elect Juma was born in 1976 to the Late Mr. George Odonya and Mrs. Odonya.

He joined St. Mary’s Major Seminary in Molo in 1997 for his spiritual year. From 1998 to 1999 he was at St. Augustine Seminary, Mabanga for his Philosophical Studies. From 2000 to 2004 he was at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary for his Theological Studies.

Bishop-Elect Juma was ordained deacon on 11th June 2005 and priest of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret on 25th February 2006 at Sacred Heart Cathedral by the late Bishop Cornelius Korir.

He obtained Licentiate in Missiology from Urbanian University in Rome in 2018.

Bishop-Elect Juma is currently serving as a Formator at St. Patrick Philosophy House – Durban in South Africa. He takes over from Bishop Maurice Crowley who is retiring having attained the bishop’s mandatory retirement age of 75 years.