Following the demise of Teresia Ndikaru Ngugi, Mother to the St. Thomas Aquinas TUK Catholic Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Dr. Ndikaru wa Teresia, on 19th May, 2020, the chaplaincy set to condole with the family through SMS of hope and financial support. The burial of the late Teresia Ndikaru Ngugi was held on 22nd May, 2020 at Murera Farm in Ruiru. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the burial ceremony was held with strict adherence to the directives of the Ministry of Health on social gatherings and social distancing. As a result, only a maximum of 50 mourners were allowed to St. Christopher Catholic church where the requiem mass was held. The University was allocated 10 seats and as a result, the chaplaincy could only send representatives to the burial. The chaplaincy was represented by students and Alumni including Christopher Odoyo, Bonface Kioko, Edward Maina, Cecilia Mburu, Jane Njoroge, Monica Mwethera and Angela Kimunyu
Fig: From left: Chris, Monicah, Jane, Cecilia, Kioko and Edward
Fig: From Left: Angela, Monicah, Jane, Cecilia, Kioko and Edward
The cottage arrived at the church ground at 11am and the Requiem mass started at exactly 12 noon at St Christopher Catholic Parish, the after mass, the burial rites was held at her home a kilometer away from church and took only one hour as per the directives of the Ministry of Health. The mass was led by Rev. Fr. Dr. Ndikaru wa Teresia assisted by seventeen other priests.
Several priests had expressed their interest to attend the burial but following the government directives, it was impossible to have all of them accommodated. They thus send apologies and messages of condolence through the parish priest and some of the apologies and condolence messages were from Archbishop John Cardinal Njue and Bishop David Kamau of Archdiocese of Nairobi, Bishop King’oo of Machakos Diocese, Bishop Mairura of Kisii Diocese, Bishop Obara of Ngong Diocese, Bishop R. KImaryo of Seme Diocese in Tanzania, Mgrs. Mathew Odong from Gulu Archdiocese, the priests classmate of Father Ndikaru from Tanzania and Uganda, The Sydney community and Fr. Mutua of Australia Mr Pius Nyutu and Family, Topeka, Kansas City Community, Frs Benedict Mwangi, Wekesa and Gabriel Muteru from United States of America, The Kigumba Parish community in Uganda, The London Community from UK and Toronto Community in Canada send their message of condolences
The burial was also transmitted live on Facebook for the sake of her children who are abroad in United States, United Kingdom and Australia who could not travel for the burial following the COVID-19 outbreak. The late Teresia Ndikaru Ngugi died at the age of 93 years and left behind eleven children, including the catholic chaplain at Technical University of Kenya, Rev. Fr. Dr. Ndikaru wa Teresia. She also left behind grandchildren and great grandchildren. May the soul of the late Teresia Ndikaru Ngugi rest in eternal peace.
By Boniface Kioko