Henry Juma Odonya
Henry Juma Odonya | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Kitale, Kenya | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu |
| See | Kitale |
| Appointed | 4 Nov 2022 |
| Installed | 21 January 2023 |
| Predecessor | Maurice Anthony Crowley |
| Successor | Incumbent |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 25 February 2006 |
| Consecration | 21 January 2023 by Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen |
| Rank | Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Henry Juma Odonya 10 December 1976 |
| Styles of Henry Juma Odonya | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | His Grace |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Henry Juma Odonya (SPS), (born 10 December 1976 ) is a Kenyan Catholic prelate who serves as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kitale since November 2022. He was appointed bishop on 4 November 2022 by Pope Francis. He succeeded Bishop Maurice Anthony Crowley, the Bishop Emeritus of Kitale, Kenya, who retired.
Background and education
[edit]He was born on 10 December 1976 in Nairobi, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi, in Kenya. He studied at St. Mary's Major Seminary in Molo, for his spiritual year in 1997. He then studied philosophy at St. Augustine Major Seminary Mabanga in Mabanga, Diocese of Bungoma from 1998 until 1999. He then transferred to St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi, where he studied Theology from 2000 until 2004. In 2008 he graduated with a Licentiate in Missiology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, Italy.[1][2][3]
Priest
[edit]While still a seminarian, he became an Associate of the St. Patrick's Missionary Society (SPS). He was ordained a deacon on 11 June 2005. On 25 February 2006 he was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Eldoret by the hands of Bishop Cornelius Kipng'eno Arap Korir, Bishop of Eldoret. He served in that capacity until 4 November 2022.[1][2][3]
As priest he served in various roles both inside and out side his diocese, including as:[3]
- Assistant parish priest of St. Patrick's Kapcherop Parish from 2006 until 2007.
- Assistant parish priest of St. Teresa of Avila Ndalat Parish from 2008 until 2009.
- Parish priest of St. Patrick's Kapcherop Parish from 2009 until 2011.
- Fidei Donum to the Diocese of Kitale from 2011 until 2015.
- Parish priest of St. Zeno Kolongolo Parish, Diocese of Kitale from 2011 until 2013.
- Parish priest of Holy Family Parish, Chepchoina, Diocese of Kitale from 2013 until 2015.
- Chairman of the Kenya Fidei Donum Association from 2012 until 2015.
- Parish priest of St. Teresa of Avila Ndalat Parish, Diocese of Eldoret from 2015 until 2016.
- Chairman of the Eldoret Priests Association from 2015 until 2016.
- Parish vicar of Huruma Parish, diocese of Eldoret from 2019 until 2020.
- Formator at St. Patrick's Philosophy House in Durban, South Africa from 2020 until 2022.[2][3][4]
As bishop
[edit]On 4 November 2022, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kitale. He was consecrated and installed at Kitale in the diocese of Kitale on 21 January 2023. The Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen, Titular Archbishop of Novaliciana assisted by Bishop Maurice Anthony Crowley, Bishop Emeritus of Kitale and Bishop Dominic Kimengich, Bishop of Eldoret.[1]
He succeeded Maurice Anthony Crowley, SPS, the Bishop Emeritus of Kitale, Kenya who retired the same day that Bishop Henry Juma Odonya was appointed bishop.[1][2][3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d David M. Cheney (25 February 2024). "MicroData Summary for Bishop Henry Juma Odonya (born 10 December 1976), Bishop of Kitale". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Kansas City. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ a b c d Rose Achiego Ande; Adelaide Ndilu (4 November 2022). "Kenya: Pope Francis appoints Reverend Father Henry Juma Odonya as Bishop of Kitale". AMECEA. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Arnold Neliba (4 November 2022). "Kenya: Father Henry Juma Odonya Appointed New Bishop of Kitale". CISA News Africa. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ Agenzia Fides (4 November 2022). "Africa/Kenya: Resignation And Appointment Of Bishop Of Kitale". Agenzia Fides. Vatican City. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
