John Joseph Njenga

{{Infobox Christian leader | type = Archbishop Emeritus | honorific-suffix = Most Reverend | name = John Joseph Njenga | title = Archbishop Emeritus of Mombasa | image = | caption = | church = Roman Catholic Church | province = | archdiocese = Mombasa | diocese = | see = Mombasa | metropolis = Mombasa | enthroned = | appointed = 21 May 1990 | term_start = 21 May 1990 | term_end = 1 April 2005 | predecessor = Nicodemus Kirima | successor = Boniface Lele | ordination = 17 February 1957 | ordained_by = John Joseph McCarthy | consecration = 22 November 1970 | consecrated_by = Pierluigi Sartorelli | cardinal = | created_cardinal_by = | rank = | other_post = | birth_name = John Joseph Njenga | birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|12|25}} | birth_place = Tigoni, Kiambu County, Kenya | death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|11|04|1928|12|25|df=y}} | death_place = Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya | nationality = Kenyan | religion = Catholic Church | residence = | occupation = | profession = | alma_mater = | signature = | emeritus = | coat_of_arms = | motto = }}

{{Ordination | ordained deacon by = | date of diaconal ordination = | place of diaconal ordination = | ordained priest by = John Joseph McCarthy | date of priestly ordination = 17 February 1957 | place of priestly ordination = | consecrated by = | co-consecrators = | date of consecration = | place of consecration = | elevated by = | date of elevation = | sources = }}

'''John Joseph Njenga''' (25 December 1928 – 4 November 2018) was a Roman Catholic prelate who was the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa from 1990 until his age-related retirement in 2005. Before that, from 1988 until 1990, he was the Bishop of Mombasa before the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese. Prior to Mombasa, he served as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Eldoret from 1970 until 1988. He was appointed bishop on 19 October 1970 by Pope Paul VI. He died on 4 November 2018, as the Archbishop Emeritus of Mombasa, Kenya, one month shy of his 90th birthday.

==Background and education== He was born on 25 December 1928 to Peter Kimani and Maria Wanjiru in Tigoni, Kiambu County, Kenya. He attended primary school in his home area. He completed secondary school at Mang'u High School in Kiambu County. He studied both philosophy and theology at a seminary at Kibosho, Kilimanjaro Region in Tanzania, before he was ordained a priest in 1957.<ref name="1R">{{cite web| url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bnjenga.html |title=MicroData Summary for Archbishop John Joseph Njenga (born 25 December 1928; died 4 November 2018), Archbishop Emeritus of Mombasa |work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |date=20 August 2024 |author=David M. Cheney |access-date=27 January 2025 |location=Kansas City}}</ref><ref name="2R">{{cite web|url=https://www.radiomaria.co.ke/5th-anniversary-of-his-grace-most-rev-john-njenga-archbishop-emeritus-of-the-catholic-archdiocese-of-mombasa-6th-october-2023/ |title=5th Anniversary Of His Grace Most Reverend John Njenga, Archbishop Emeritus Of The Catholic Archdiocese Of Mombasa, 6th November 2023 |work=Radio Maria Kenya |date=6 November 2023 |author1=Godwine Odira |author2=Caloo Valentine |access-date=27 January 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref><ref name="3R">{{cite web|url=https://nation.africa/kenya/life-and-style/lifestyle/i-did-not-set-out-to-be-a-priest-but-god-made-me-an-archbishop-867672 |title=I did not set out to be a priest, but God made me an archbishop |work=Daily Nation |date=7 June 2013 |author=Daily Nation |access-date=27 January 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>

Later, he graduated with a master's degree in social studies from the University of London and with a Doctor of Canon Law degree from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, Italy.<ref name="3R"/>

==Priest== He was ordained priest of Nairobi, Kenya on 17 February 1957, by Archbishop John Joseph McCarthy, C.S.Sp., Archbishop of Nairobi at ''Lioki Catholic Church'', in the Archdiocese of Nairobi. He served in that capacity until 19 October 1970.<ref name="1R"/>

As a priest, he served in various roles both inside and outside his diocese including as:<ref name="2R"/> * Priest at ''Queen of Apostles Seminary'' in Nairobi Archdiocese from where he served from 1957 until 1959. * Member of the Catholic Secretariat in the Department of the Lay Apostolate * First African Parish Priest at Our Lady of Visitation Church (OLVC) in Makadara, Nairobi starting in 1964. * He was selected as a Monsignor, being the first indigenous Kenyan priest to be awarded the title. * Later, he was appointed as the Education Secretary for the Archdiocese of Nairobi. * He was the lead negotiator with the Central Kenyan Government in the negotiations of the ''Education Act of 1968'' which approved the teaching of religion in schools. * He negotiated for the creation of the ''St. Paul's Chaplaincy'' through a partnership between the Catholic Church and the University of Nairobi.<ref name="2R"/>

==Bishop== Bishop Njenga was appointed bishop and selected to head the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret on 4 October 1970. He was ordained and installed at Eldoret, Diocese of Eldoret, on 22 November 1970 by the hands of Archbishop Pierluigi Sartorelli, Titular Archbishop of Semina assisted by Archbishop Maurice Michael Otunga, Coadjutor Archbishop of Nairobi, Kenya & Titular Archbishop of Polymartium and Bishop Caesar Gatimu, Bishop of Nyeri.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/><ref name="3R"/>

On 25 October 1988, after 18 years at Eldoret, he was appointed Bishop of the Catholi Diocese of Mombasa. He took possession of the diocese on 12 February 1989. On 21 May 1990, The Holy Father John Paul II, elevated the diocese of Mombasa to an archdiocese and elevated the bishop there (John Joseph Njenga) to an archbishop. On 1 April 2005, the age-related application for retirement from pastoral services submitted by Archbishop John Joseph Njenga, was accepted by the Holy See. Archbishop Boniface Lele was appointed to replace him as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mombasa.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/><ref name="3R"/>

Before his retirement Bishop Njenga also served as the Secretary General of the ''Kenya Episcopal Conference'' (KEC) currently the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) from 1967 until 1970. He also served as chairman of the same organisation from 1976 until 1982.<ref name="2R"/>

He then relocated to the ''Queen of Apostles Seminary Rauraka'', in Ruaraka, Archdiocese of Nairobi. While there, he continued to serve the Church through ''Archbishop Njenga Foundation'', a charitable Organization for the vulnerable children. He died on 4 November 2018 at the ''Mater Misericordiae Hospital'' in Nairobi, Kenya's capital city. He was 89 years old.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="2R"/><ref name="3R"/>

==See also== * Catholic Church in Kenya

==Succession table== {{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=Joseph Brendan Houlihan}} (29 January 1954 - 19 October 1970) {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Eldoret<br/>(19 October 1970 - 25 October 1988)}} {{s-aft|after= Cornelius Kipng'eno Arap Korir}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=Nicodemus Kirima}} (27 February 1978 - 12 March 1988) {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Mombasa<br/>(25 October 1988 - 21 May 1990)}} {{s-aft|after=None (Diocese elevated)}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=None (Archdiocese created)}} {{s-ttl|title=Archbishop of Mombasa<br/>(21 May 1990 - 1 April 2005)}} {{s-aft|after=Boniface Lele}} {{s-break}} {{s-end}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.ajabuafrica.net/archbishop-njenga-man-of-faith-and-true-patriot-1915.html Archbishop Njenga: Man of Faith And True Patriot]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Njenga, John Joseph}} Category:1928 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Kikuyu people Category:Alumni of Mang'u High School Category:People from Kiambu County Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Eldoret Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Mombasa Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Mombasa Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Kenya Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Kenya Category:Alumni of the University of London Category:Pontifical Urban University alumni Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Paul VI