Christianity in Igembe Region, Meru Kenya Kangeta Catholic Parish Jubilee Celebration |
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| Introduction by:
| M' Thirua, Gichunge Wa |
| Preface by:
| M' Imaana, Agnes Kayume |
| Author:
| GICHUNGE, Tarcisio F. B. |
| ISBN: | 979-8-7662-6717-1 |
| Publication Date: | Nov 2021 |
| Publisher: | Independently Published
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| Book Format: | Paperback |
| List Price: | USD $5.35 |
Book Description:
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Catholic Church was introduced in Kangeta Area, today the Headquarters of Igembe Central by Father Francesco Soldati in 1950's. Sometimes in 1950's Father Francesco Soldati arrived in Njia Location after he had sought permission to preach in the Northern Grazing Area of Igembe because the upper part of the Location had been reserved for the CMS (Protestants) all the way from Kangeta Town to Maua the Headquarters of the Church Missionary Society and the Colonizers from 1910's.More Description Catholic Church was introduced in Kangeta Area, today the Headquarters of Igembe Central by Father Francesco Soldati in 1950's. Sometimes in 1950's Father Francesco Soldati arrived in Njia Location after he had sought permission to preach in the Northern Grazing Area of Igembe because the upper part of the Location had been reserved for the CMS (Protestants) all the way from Kangeta Town to Maua the Headquarters of the Church Missionary Society and the Colonizers from 1910's.
Father Soldati cleverly squeezed himself in-below the road from Meru Town to Maua Town and founded Gichanine and Kaongo Kamau Prayer Houses which were below that road from Meru to Kianjai, Muthara, Kangeta and Laare to Maua Town obeying the Administrators' rules about the area of jurisdiction (being far away about 10 miles from the Colonialists' Headquarters) as a rule for permission to preach a religion which was none other than Protestant.
Remember that, founding of Meru Town Cathedral in 1957 had also been the same struggle and story for Catholics who were denied settlement in Meru Town way back in 1911 when they were directed to travel beyond Nkubu to found their new Missions at Mujwa and Thigaa in Igoji as conditional distances of three days' traveling in order to be away from the Protestants who were given first priority in religious matters by the colonizers.
According to the colonizers, Protestant Church was their preferred religion to be preached to the natives who were expected grow in obedience of the colonial masters' rule. Catholics were regarded as antagonists. In Kangeta area, Father Francesco Soldati was clever to use the road as a demarcating beacon. Else his preaching arena and camp was supposed to be at Kalimbene Prison which existed in those days.
Father Soldati was supposed to preach to the prisoners but only that he was suspected to be a sympathizer of the prisoners by the Administrators.
That again gave him the disadvantage of being away from the prisoners whom he might have supported in course of his work as a preacher. Mzungu was supposed to preach his religion (CMS) to the people around in the villages while Father Soldati was supposed to preach to those hard hit natives without food or water beyond the NGA if they were any at the time. He therefore, settled at Gichanine and Kaongo Kamau by God's grace or what one may call human error but both places were reasonably populated along the main road from Meru Town to Maua the Igembe Headquarters.
Father Soldati, quickly opened two new Primary Schools by possessing an old Independent Primary School that had been closed at Kaongo Kamau in 1954 when he received permission from Njia Cia Mwendwa leaders in 1955. At Gichanine (Kangeta Primary School) he had the go ahead from Njia cia Ruuji leaders in 1953. These two became the foundations of his Catholic Church in what would become Kangeta Parish in 1975 while he was still at Tuuru Mission.
Therefore, from 1953 to 1975 a period of 22 years is regarded as the formative years of Kangeta Parish and from 1975 to 2025 will be regarded as the formation period for Jubilee Celebrations of Kangeta Parish. As we edit this book, we hope to be there in 2025 by God's grace to listen to this story being read as part of the Celebrations on or about December 24th, 2025.
Their main celebration will not only be developmental issues but the incremental additions in their Christian members from a mere 2,000 to over 20,000 Christians in Kangeta Catholic Parish! The celebration will also focus on the number of Parishes created out of Kangeta Parish since 1975.