We won't accept sadaka from the corrupt - Bishop Muheria

 Bishop Anthony Muheria at his offices

Anthony Muheria, the Bishop of Kitui, is a University of Nairobi trained engineer who quit employment to serve the Church. He spoke to JOHN LAWRENCE on among others; his membership to Opus Dei, his CBK Governor brother and Pope Francis

There are corrupt Christians who go to church every Sunday and give their offertory, tithe or contributions to the church yet everyone knows that so and so could be rich thanks to corruption...

It is a very difficult issue because we are challenging them that one must be a Christian with both hands and you cannot touch blood with one hand and at the same time come to us for blessings. You must wash your hands first and change your ways. Ours is not judgmental whereby we say that you are condemned and begin choosing who can come to church and who not to talk to. No, the church is open to everyone and Jesus Christ came to save sinners. But at the same time, one who has been charged as corrupt cannot be allowed to bring such money to church.

But how do you know or tell that this money is out of corruption?

We cannot exclude them but we must keep telling them the need to lead an upright life because you never know if this man converted overnight like the biblical Zacchaeus. Otherwise, the churches cannot be the churches of the perfect just as pope Francis says open the doors for the sinners. As the Holy Father visits Kenya, let us embrace the message that he brings and also take a look at how the Pope challenges us with his type of leadership and lifestyle.

Your Lordship, there is a perception out there that you are probably the closest bishop to the government, especially during President Kibaki’s era. You were the presiding Bishop at almost all state functions or events where Kibaki was involved

That is not true. In fact, it a creation of one of the local media outlets... I was never a Bishop of the state neither in that regime nor in the current political dispensation. I believe in engagement and we have engaged the presidents together with other bishops as a group and at an individual level. That there is a certain affinity or feelings towards me is not something that I would have control over. I have not found it necessary to rebut it because it is neither here nor there. And by the way, I could have been a very good friend but that would not reduce anything in my episcopate; it is just a question of is it or is it not.

If that is the case, how come you resigned from the Judicial Service Commission in 2011?

My decision to resign from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) was purely on grounds of principles. My own vision about work is first to see whether you are going to make a difference or not and to me making a difference is being a bishop and that is what I should dedicate my time in doing. The circumstances then could not allow me to serve JSC because the position required time, mind and energy, which I was unable to give due to my role as bishop.

But as I said back then, I strongly believe that JSC as a commission could deliver even without my direct input as a member. All they needed was support from all Kenyans to deliver the necessary reforms.

 

 

You are a member of the Opus Dei. Has that influenced your work?

First, I am a Catholic. Second, I am a Catholic Bishop and within that there is what I refer to as ‘a call within a call’ where you have a certain mission that you may require to accomplish. In Opus Dei, the mission has always been to try and encourage the lay people to lead a life in their fullness of Christianity by being in a society where they engage the society, Christianize and empower lay Catholics by assisting the word through living.

Opus Dei requires dedication to prayer, work, serious diligence by uplifting people and giving others hope so that people can realise their role in the world and seek to live an upright life. That is what I have been trying to do all my life since I became a priest in the Opus Dei.

The Catholic Church has several religious congregations, why did you settle on Opus Dei?

The Opus Dei is not exactly a religious congregation but instead a prelature; an organisation in the Catholic Church of different nature to our congregations.

I came in touch with Opus Dei just before going to the university. I went to Strathmore College and that is when I saw the beauty of this new light of seeing how life lived as a lay person can be. But within that call, I realised that there was need for priest. That is something that happens in Opus Dei. I thought maybe God could be asking that I be one of those who can live out their priesthood serving lay people.

I thought about my classmates in the university who were having issues about their Christian life and perhaps not being reached easily by the ordinary priest or others. Then I said why can’t it be me in that process? So, I told the Opus Dei Bishop that I wanted to be a priest and that is how I left my work and started the journey to priesthood.

What were you doing before priesthood?

I studied civil engineering at the University of Nairobi and after my graduation, I went to work as an engineer for years. I was working before I left that job, resigned and went to the seminary to study priesthood. I worked from 1984 up to mid 1989 when I answered my second call that is a story that the papers carried during my ordination. I think it is also good to focus about a person’s calling and this has nothing to do with an individual’s qualifications in terms of degrees. I have known many effective and holy priests who may not have been endowed intellectually but they are solid and I owe them a lot because some of them are able to run pastoral centres in an amazing way.

Your brother Dr Patrick Njoroge Central Bank of Kenya Governor is a member of the Opus Dei and has managed to transform the organization not only through his professional actions but also his way of life. Is it because of his belief and trust in the Opus Dei?

Yes, as I told you earlier, Dr Patrick is my brother in a family of eight. He is the second born in our family and I would suggest that you get to him to ask him more about himself. It is only fair that I don’t talk for him, as I may also be very biased since he is my brother. All I can say is that I admire him and congratulate him.

He is greatly gifted and I believe he has the capacity to carry out this high office of the Governor of the Central Bank. I have always admired his abilities, his great determination and resolve, his diligence, and at the same time his great simplicity even when he held the high office in the IMF. The office he takes up is very crucial in our country, and for the future of this country, and at the same time not easy to exercise.

Mine is to pray for him, and I am also certain that he is a good Christian and one who will uphold and encourage ethical and moral practices. But above all, he has proven his professional capacity in his former positions, and we look forward to him applying those qualities for the good of our country’s economy.