Catholics mourn cleric known for charity and humility

Former Mombasa Archdiocese head Boniface Lele (centre) leads Catholic faithful during celebrations to mark Palm Sunday last year. ABOVE: Some of the cleric’s kin and friends at Pandya Hospital where the body was taken to await burial arrangements. PHOTOS: KELVIN KARANI AND MAARUFU MOHAMED]

By Benard Sanga

Mombasa, Kenya: Unlike his predecessor, Archbishop John Njenga, who was a major critic of former President Moi’s regime, retired Catholic Archbishop Boniface Lele, who died on Wednesday at Mombasa Hospital, kept off politics.

Lele, who would have turned 67 this Sunday, was however not one to shy away from speaking out his mind, sometimes even contradicting the Catholic Church’s stand on some issues or criticising popular decisions taken by other churches.

Ordained to priesthood in 1974, Lele was appointed bishop of the Kitui Diocese in 1995. He was later promoted to succeed Njenga as the Archbishop of Mombasa in 2005 after the latter attained mandatory retirement age 75 years. Lele however resigned last year on health grounds

On April 6, 2012, Lele led 80 priests in Mombasa to denounce prayer meetings by the then four International Criminal Court (ICC) suspects.

He directed the priests in the Mombasa Archdiocese not to allow the group, which included Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto and Joshua arap Sang, to hold prayers in “our churches as this would be tantamount to promoting impunity, which this country abhors.”

Lele would later again stun the Catholic Church after he publicly supported use of condoms by people living with HIV to prevent re-infection. The Catholic Church has consistently opposed use of condoms, especially as a mode of contraception.

Lele not only support the use of condoms, he started a ministry in Mombasa to rehabilitate prostitutes.

Hundreds of commercial sex workers gave up the trade and are currently engaged in small businesses in Mombasa’s Likoni, Kisauni and Changamwe areas.

Vulnerable children

“Because of Archbishop Emeritus Boniface Lele’s simplicity and compassion for the needy, there will be no laying of flowers during his burial. Instead, mourners are kindly advised to give their donations to designated charity homes through the Holy Ghost Cathedral office,” said Rev Father Wilybard Lagho, the Vicar General of Mombasa Archdiocese.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa, under the stewardship of Lele, also started the Tsavo Children’s Village, which currently takes care of up to 900 orphans and vulnerable children. The late Archbishop, who is expected to be buried at the Mombasa Cathedral compound, also started a mission to take the gospel to seafarers and priests were assigned to conduct holy masses inside ships that dock at the port of Mombasa.

“The ministry for the seafarers and the mission to rehabilitate commercial sex workers in Mombasa are some of the things we will always remember him for,’ said George Sungu, former chairman of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Kiembeni.

The man many say was “exceedingly humble” died on Wednesday at 1.30pm at the Mombasa Hospital where he was admitted after he developed low blood pressure last Friday.

Father Lagho said the funeral ceremony of the late Lele will be held on Tuesday next week April 22.

“The cortege leaves Pandya Memorial Hospital on Monday, April 21 at 5pm and will proceed to Holy Ghost Cathedral Mombasa for night vigil,” stated a statement from the Vicar General.

And the Head of Catholic Church in Kenya Cardinal John Njue described Lele’s death as a major loss for the Church.

“It is quite a loss for the church as he had done so much work in Kitui and lately in Mombasa. I remember him for his simple life which was very impressive,” added the Cardinal.

Njue said he learnt about his death last evening, adding that there were indications that the prelate would be buried on Tuesday next week although this will have to be confirmed.