Journalist quits his job to join priesthood

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Vincent Opiyo, a Kenyan sports journalist and a former employee of Nation Media Group (NMG), has heeded to the divine calling of being fishers of men by joining priesthood through the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), a Roman Catholic order.

Confirming his new self in his farewell article as NMG journalist Opiyo says: “My desire to be taken by the Jesuits was fulfilled when I received my admission letter to the novitiate in Arusha on March 30 after going through a year-long rigorous candidacy programme.”

It was one of his toughest decisions. The reporter, aged 29 says time was nigh to quit his profession to pursue what has been his lifetime dream.

Opiyo recalls moments he served as an altar boy which birthed his lifetime dream of joining the priesthood.

“At the age of 12, I became an Altar Boy in my home parish, Nangina Catholic church. This was a year of finishing my catechism classes that culminated the receiving Holy Communion. It is during this period that I started dreaming of being like my parish priest who was a friend and a father figure,” he wrote.

Opiyo joined Nation Media Group in 2017, after years of struggle to establish himself as one of the promising sports journalists.

Despite the hardship, he underwent to etch his name on Kenya’s Sports journalism corps, the burning desire to serve humanity was more overwhelming. 

“Just a year and a half ago, the desire started burning in me. I am happy working in a busy newsroom but I felt I would serve humanity better as a priest,” he said.

Despite rigorous discouragement from friends and relatives, Opiyo stayed the course and ignored critics. '