By Father Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ and Fr Ndikaru Wa Teresia

Today 6, January 2020 is exactly 47 years since John Cardinal Jue was ordained priest and 76 years since he was born. Congratulations Your Eminence.  Njue was born in 1944 in Kiini Village, Embu north to Joseph Nyaga Kibariki and Monica Ngima Nyaga.

He was ordained priest on January 6, 1973 on the feast of Epiphany by His Holiness Pope Paul VI in St. Peter Basilica, Rome. He taught at St. Augustine Senior Seminary, Mabanga in Bungoma and thereafter became a Rector for 4 years, from 1978-1982.

In January 1985 he was appointed Rector of St. Joseph’s Meru Major Philosophicum Seminary in Nairobi, also teaching at the Apostles of Jesus. He taught me Revelation and in 1986, he taught Fr Ndikaru at St Augustine Senior Seminary, That is why he refers to me as “my classmate”.

He was appointed was appointed as the first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Embu by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on June 9, 1986. He is one of the longest serving chairmen of the Kenya Episcopal Conference of Bishops.