HomeNewsA church dedicated to St Josemaria in Munyaka (Kenya), built by the parishioners
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A church dedicated to St Josemaria in Munyaka (Kenya), built by the parishioners

December 18, 2008

Tags: Church of St Josemaria, places dedicated to St Josemaria
In 1985 Mrs. Leah Kinyanjui, parishioner of St. Anne's Catholic Church, Karura (Kenya), fell sick with a liver disease and was taken into Kenyatta National Hospital. One day she woke up to find a Newsletter about St Josemaria, with a prayer-card, on her bed. She read the favors received by many people, and began to pray to him. She recovered from her sickness without any need for an operation. From then on she subscribed to the Newsletter and passed them on to her neighbors. Devotion to St Josemaria spread rapidly around the district.

In 2001 the Catholics at Munyaka decided to build a church nearby, because they had to walk a long way to their nearest church and this was very difficult, especially in the rainy season. Two years later they acquired some land, and from then on they went to pray there under a fallen tree.

The provisional church was officially inaugurated August 31 2003, dedicated to St Josemaria, the founder of Opus Dei, who by that time was well-known throughout the whole area.

A permanente church is being built from stone, and as the number of parishioners is increasing steadily it will be big enough to hold 700 people. It will be completed in 2009.

In October 2008 a large photograph of St Josemaria was placed in the temporary church, bought by the parishioners of St Josemaria Escriva Church. When it was put in place, the priest suggested to all those taking part in the ceremony to pray the prayer on the prayer-card, which they all knew by heart. The parishioners love the way St Josemaria’s eyes seem to follow them wherever they go.

The construction of the new church is proceeding fast. The parish council is impressed by how quickly the building is taking shape, thanks to the efforts of the parishioners. “Our Saint is helping us,” they say. Every week the parishioners bring a contribution towards the building materials, and others, who are builders or carpenters, work on the building in person.