Tuesday 10 June 2008

KENYA: Date Set for Burial of Retired Bishop Urbanus Kioko NAIROBI,


March 4, 2008 (CISA) -The retired Catholic Bishop of Machakos, Urbanus Joseph Kioko, died on Sunday and will be buried next Friday.Bishop Kioko died of kidney failure on Sunday, March 2, at Mater Hospital in Nairobi, the current bishop, Martin Kivuva, confirmed. He was 79.The ailing bishop was transferred to ICU at Mater on February 17 after his health deteriorated. He fell sick in 2002 and retired in 2003. He has been undergoing treatment in Mater and Nairobi hospitals.The late bishop will be laid to rest at Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral Machakos on March 14. The diocese will observe three days of prayer in parishes and communities for the repose of his soul from March 11 to 13.After the mass at Mater Hospital chapel on March 13 at 2.00 p.m the body will be taken to Machakos Cathedral for an overnight stay. The requiem mass will be celebrated at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos Town at 10.00 am.Urbanus Kioko was born of a Christian family in Kilungu, Kauti Village, on May 13, 1928, the son of the late Gregory Muthwa and Berita Nthemba.He schooled at Kauti Primary and Kabaa Intermediate schools, 1943 up to 1946. In 1947 he underwent teacher training at Lioki and Kilimambogo.Later, he joined Kilimambogo Junior Seminary in 1949 until 1953 and Kibosho Senior Seminary in Tanzania, 1953 to 1955, where he studied philosophy. He taught philosophy at Kiserian Junior Seminary in Tanzania before joining Morogoro Senior Seminary for theology from 1957 to 1960.Kioko was ordained deacon in 1960 and on January 8, 1961, a priest. He served in various parishes until 1966 when he was appointed Episcopal Vicar in Machakos. From 1967 to 1968 he studied in Italy and England. From 1969 to 1970, Fr Kioko was rector at St Joseph’s Junior Seminary in Mwingi.On July 16, 1973, he was elected bishop of Machakos Diocese and was consecrated by Maurice Cardinal Otunga on October 7, 1973.Machakos Diocese grew tremendously in the 30 years that Bishop Kioko served there. He started Pope Paul VI Junior Seminary at Katoloni and St Joseph Pastoral Centre. By the time he retired in 2003, the diocese had 42 parishes, over 100 diocesan priests and 13 religious congregations of sisters.

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