“The Church is still alive. Jesus is still present and loving. Through our faith, we have to share that,” says Father Cavine Okello. Father Joseph Maundu adds, “It takes excitement to do that well. I’m excited to serve the people of God.”

Fathers Cavine and Joseph, Glenmarians, were ordained to the priesthood on February 14 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Homa Bay, Kenya, at Father Cavine’s home parish.

Both men felt a call to the priesthood at a young age, Father Joseph when he was 10 and Father Cavine at age eight. “The local priests used to visit my parents and my grandma often. That’s how I got my vocation,” remarks Father Joseph.

For Father Cavine, it was seeing the joy in the priests as they celebrated Mass and their humility and friendliness in interactions with parishioners. “I admired these men so much. I didn’t really know what priesthood meant, but I knew this was a noble profession,” he says.

The newly ordained priests were active participants in the faith throughout their youth. Father Joseph was an altar server, worked with youth ministry, taught Sunday school, served on the church council, directed and sang in the choir in his home parish, Mikuyu Catholic Church in Masinga Parish, Kenya.

Father Cavine was also an altar server, attended workshops and retreats, and was a member of the youth group, which included washing the altar servers’ garments every Saturday for Masses on Sunday.

Serving others as missionaries outside their native country, along with the Glenmary charism, attracted the men to Glenmary Home Missioners.

Father Joseph said his commitment to the priesthood intensified during his years in formation with the Glenmarians. “I like serving in food pantries and working with people of other faiths. When we help others in the missions, you see the face of Jesus in the peoples’ smiles,” Father Joseph notes, smiling himself. Upon arriving in the United States, Father Cavine found a different atmosphere from that of his home country. “I come from a place where Catholicism is booming. When I visited some of our missions there were less than five people at Mass. I realized there was a need for missionaries to bring people to the Church,” Father Cavine observes.

Both men look forward to embracing their priesthood. Father Joseph hopes to form groups in the parish based on shared likes and needs. “I went to Guatemala to study Spanish and I’m trying to do more Hispanic ministry. I also want to use the musical talents God gave me to form a youth choir and empower the choir we have,” he said.

“I want to make the youth a priority, to make them feel loved and needed in the Church, and to have classes so the unchurched can receive the Sacraments,” Father Cavine adds. Glenmary’s mission is alive and well.

—Mary Ellen Pellegrini