John Cardinal Njue on Sunday, January 26, issued an update on his health, months after rumours went round on social media.
Speaking during mass at St.Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church-Tena, Njue admitted he was not as strong as he used to be but he still has a duty to look after his flock.
“As you can see, I am not very strong but I made a commitment to come and celebrate this mass with you,” stated Njue.
“There is a lot of work to be done in God’s vineyard and you are the ones to do it. It is your time,” added the 81-year old.
Pope Francis (left) greets Cardinal John Njue.
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This comes after rumours about his passing swirled months ago with the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) coming out strongly to put the rumours to bed announcing that the former Cardinal was alive.
“It has come to our attention that persistent rumours are circulating regarding the alleged death of His Eminence John Cardinal Njue,” noted the Archdiocese.
“We wish to categorically state that these claims are entirely false and without foundation,” ADN further says, adding that, “His Eminence John Cardinal Njue is alive, and we ask that everyone disregards these baseless rumours.”
Born in 1944 in Embu, Kenya Cardinal Njue was ordained a Priest for the Catholic Diocese of Embu in January 1973. At his Golden Jubilee of Priesthood celebration on January 6, 2023, members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) lauded the Kenyan Cardinal for his commitment to defending human life and safeguarding the “family as the basic unit of society.”
He was consecrated Bishop of his native Diocese of Embu in September 1986. In March 2002, he was transferred to Kenya’s Archdiocese of Nyeri as Coadjutor Archbishop.
The Kenyan Catholic Church leader succeeded the late Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana Nzeki as the Archbishop of Nairobi in October 2007.
He was elevated to the rank of Cardinal in November 2007, becoming the second Cardinal in the history of Kenya after Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga.
Looking back at his tenure, Njue was proud of the strides the Catholic Church had made and called on congregants to unite in executing church projects.
Currently, the position of Cardinal in the country is vacant. Philip Anyolo, the Archbishop of Nairobi is the senior-most Catholic official in the country by virtue of his position as the head of the Archdiocese of Nairobi.
Members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops
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