On Thursday, July 13, renowned Catholic priest Father Charles Kinyua eulogized his friend and colleague, Father Joseph Kariuki Wanjiku.
After a funeral liturgy at St. Mary’s Msongari, the Reverend Francis Kariuki, parish pastor of St. Peters Catholic Church in Ruai in the Nairobi Archdiocese, was laid to rest in the Clergy Cemetery.
The 43-year-old passed away early Saturday morning after spending the night at the Monalisa Hotel in Gatanga with his girlfriend.
Radio Waumini is owned by the Catholic Church, and Fr. Kinyua, the station’s director, gave a eulogy for a deceased colleague, praising him as a holy man who had God’s love at heart.
Here is the complete eulogy posted on the Facebook page for Fr. Kinyua’s Online Congregation.
“IN HONOR OF FR. KARIS.
Job 19:27 says, “It will be my own eyes that see him, not the eyes of another.” We give Father Karis’s spirit over to God’s care today.
God created us in his image and likeness, and he didn’t do it simply so we’d die someday; he did it so he could enjoy us forever. We hope that Fr. Karis, like ancient Job, is now gazing upon the face of God.
Each of us is born into this world with a sense of awe and astonishment because life is such a mystery, a gift from God that catches us off guard at the moment our consciousness awakens.The only certainty is that the gift of life will eventually be returned to its giver.
Fr. Karis learned the hard way that reaching old age is no guarantee of success in this venture or a sign of having made it.
Instead, success at any age comes from knowing the truth by trusting God, following His will, and living with Him and others in love and justice. So, trust, optimism, and generosity are the keys to accomplishment.
The words of God in the Book of Wisdom give us comfort in knowing that God will take care of such a man’s soul.
Accordingly, today we celebrate, truly celebrate, the culmination of a life that was rich, full, and large in virtue and merit, in selfless love, in moving homilies, in passion for the good, in hospitality and friendliness, in compassion, in a passion for development, in a life that was successful.
So now we rejoice in the fullness of a full existence. And we will salute life and love and Father Karis at the Eucharistic Feast!
St. John Eudes once stated, “…the greatest effect of God’s mercy, the most precious grace He bestows upon mankind, is to send worthy priests, men after His own heart, seeking only His glory and the salvation of souls.” And Father Karis was certainly deserving of that title.
As priests, we have an impact on people’s lives, whether positive or negative, that we might never fully comprehend in this lifetime.
From the other side of eternity, may he know what a positive impact he had on the lives of so many in the Archdiocese of Nairobi and in his own Mang’u.
His mission was one of service, not glitz and glamour. And he did his work with humor and a sense of modesty.
Every priest, just as Father Karis, has the incredible honor of serving God and his people in the priesthood. We are “earthen vessels” because of our humanity and sin, but we are also “other Christs” who partake in the high priesthood of our Lord through the ministry of the Word and the Sacrament.
To demonstrate that salvation ultimately comes from God and not from ourselves, God often employs flawed humans to carry out his plans.
We priests are not bashful about asking for prayers for others, and we ask that you pray for him as well. We believe that the love of Jesus Christ, who gave us the gift of the priesthood, is greater than death, and we ask that you pray for us as well when we die.
Nikos Kazantzkis put the Greek proverb “Life is trouble, only death is not” into Zorba’s mouth. Father Karis sincerely believed that death was no big deal for those who had faith.
Like Father Karis, we know that nothing—not even the worst pain or suffering or persecution or danger—can ever separate us from the love of Christ, Who even defeated death itself.
“Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary use words,” St. Francis of Assisi advised. Of the two, Father Karis was more talented with words.
He put them to effective use, but I believe his wonder, faith, trust, compassion, and manifest love of the people in his life will be what we remember most about him.
Keep Father Karis in mind whenever you get together, whether it’s as old friends, former classmates, or relatives. Remember Father Karis at any future gatherings of Ruai Parish or any other parish where he served.
Even when he’s gone, he’ll continue looking over us and loving on you. Like the Lord Jesus, we need to reflect on what he has accomplished with his love and build upon it as we honor his memory and celebrate his life. I pray that he and all the faithful deceased find eternal peace and happiness. Amen.”
