The Catholic church in Kenya was delighted on Saturday to ordain the first-ever Catholic priest with visual impairment.
Reverend Micheal Mithamo King’ori defied all odds by getting admitted to the priesthood in an ordination service held in Nyeri county at Kiamuiru Catholic Parish, St. John Bosco Kiamuiru Primary School Grounds.
The holy orders were conferred by Archbishop Anthony Muheria assisted by Reverend Peter Kairu.
Radio Maria Kenya which is owned by the Catholic Church, described the event as one of a kind ever held in a social media post.
“Jubilation and thanksgiving to God as the Catholic Church in Kenya witnesses the extraordinary ordination of the first visually impaired priest, Mithamo of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri,” read the post.
Reverend Mithamo had served as a deacon in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri.
He was ordained with other priests; Alexander Murage Wanjiku, Joseph Waihenya Kirira, George Gitonga Wamuyu, Mathew Karimi Njogu, and John Wanjohi Nyawira.
Addressing the media after the event, Fr. Mithamo said his dream to become a priest started when he was still young.
“I admired how priests used to preach and carry out their duties, doing mass on the altar, I would desire it, I asked myself why not me there? “he said.
He lived true to his dream and followed his heart and the calling of God to be a priest.
Unfortunately, Fr. Mithamo lost his eyesight in 2019 while serving as a deacon, but this did not stop his desire to become a priest.
“I counted on the calling of God on becoming a priest, it did not disappear by the loss of my eyesight,” he said.
The priest further disclosed that serving in the ministry has been a rough journey but he soldiers on and believes he has what it takes to be a great priest.
“Challenges have been there, but cannot be excuses to what we ought to become,” he noted.
According to Nyeri Archbishop Anthony Muheria, the event will serve as an eye-opener to persons with disabilities and sets a path for them to serve in various capacities in the ministry.
“We don’t have to focus on the disability but on the strength a person has,” said Archbishop Muheria.
Fr. Mithamo called upon everybody to appreciate persons with disabilities and focus on their abilities.
He will serve as a priest in Kigumo parish, Othayo, Nyeri county.