A Vatican Relator at the Dicastery of the causes of Saints, Mons. Angelo Romano has renewed hope in the cause of Sainthood of God’s Servant Cardinal Michael Maurice Otunga, stating that the process that started 15 years ago is “still alive”
The announcement at a fundraising dinner that was organised in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) to support Cardinal Otunga’s Sainthood course was lauded by the gathering that participated to listen to the story of the Servant of God, who served as Nairobi’s Archbishop until his retirement in 1997 aged 74.
Relaying the news, the cause’s Vice Postulator, Fr. Laurence Njoroge, said the ADN, Archbishop Philip Subira Anyolo, received news through the Vatican-based Postulator on the cause of Cardinal Otunga’s Beatification that it was “on their desk”.
“Recently, in fact last week, there was a communication from Rome, from the Relator and the Relator, as I understand, is the number two person in the office that deals with matters of beatification and canonisation,” Fr. Njoroge said.
He added, “The Relator, through the Postulator, who is the person representing the Archdiocese of Nairobi in Rome and who must reside in Rome for this cause, informed the Petitioner that the matter of the beatification and canonisation of the Servant of God Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga is on their desk,”
He said that Archbishop Anyolo had been told that Cardinal Otunga’s Sainthood cause had not stagnated.
“That communication had not been provoked from our side. It was a communication from Rome. In other words, the cause has not stagnated. It is alive because it is Rome speaking,” Fr. Njoroge clarified
High hopes
Cardinal Otunga could be Kenya’s first in the catalogue of Saints. Declared “Servant of God” in 2010 as per the process of beatification and canonisation, Cardinal Otunga’s Sainthood cause is in the phase that involves the examination and verification of documents (evidence), which the Petitioner submitted to the Vatican.
These documents are examined by a group of theologians and reviewed by another group of experts. If the review is favorable, the documents are submitted to the Holy Father for approval and subsequent issuance of a Papal decree confirming the virtuous life of the candidate to whom he confers the title, “Venerable”.
Fr. Njoroge acknowledged that many years had passed since Cardinal Otunga was declared Servant of God, noting that he understood that some may be restless that the Cardinal’s Sainthood cause was not moving forward with speed.
“There are a great number of people who feel that it is perhaps taking a little bit too long for the Servant of God to be declared Venerable. We have heard those sentiments,” added Njoroge.
Observing that it had taken 25 years for Blessed Sr. Irene Stefani (Nyaatha) declared Servant of God in 1985 to finally be declared venerable, he said about the Italian-born member of the Consolata Missionary Sisters (MC), who arrived in Kenya in 1915 and served as a medical officer during the First World War in Central Kenya. Recognised for her love and compassion, the locals nicknamed her “Nyaatha”, which means ‘Merciful Mother,” She passed on in Kenya in October 1930 aged 39 after contracting a disease from a patient she was caring for.
“I am not saying that it is going to take 25 years for the Servant of God Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga to become Venerable. I am simply attempting to say that it is a process and it takes time,” Fr. Njoroge revealed.
In October 2024, the Dicastery of the Causes of Saints through its Under-Secretary Mons. Bogusław Stanisław Turek, urged Kenyans to “pray seriously” for the cause of Cardinal Otunga.
Mons. Turek said Rome wants to hear, and wants to know that the Church in Kenya is a Church in prayer for the cause of the beatification and canonisation of the Servant of God Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga,” he added.
The Servant of God Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga died on September 6, 2003 and 15 years ago, process to make him Saint has been ongoing in Vatican.
