NAIROBI, Kenya— At the Renewed Universal Catholic Church in Nyeri, central Kenya, celebratory ululations filled the air last spring after Bishop Peter Njogu ordained three new priests.
Like Njogu, a former Roman Catholic priest and founder of the Renewed Church, the three new priests are married.
“I am happy because I was ordained a priest in this church,” said Philip Muiga, 52, a former Roman Catholic priest. “With the experience I have, I will be able to exercise my functions as a priest and also as a father.”
Muiga and others are among more than 20 priests, including several ordained in July, who have renounced their vows of celibacy, proposed to women and joined the renewed Universal Catholic Church since late 2017.
Njogu, who launched the new church from his Catholic parish of Mweiga in the Archdiocese of Nyeri in 2012, said many Catholic priests were already giving up celibacy. His new church, he said, was simply acknowledging reality.
“We want priests to get married so they can live a pure, unassuming life,” said Njogu, a 55-year-old father of three. “Many priests and bishops have secret families that they have abandoned because they fear losing the privileges that come with priesthood, such as a good home and vehicles. Some priests even prey on children and abandon them.”
Njogu’s journey to schism began in 2002, when Pope John Paul II excommunicated him for his relationship with his longtime companion, Berith Karimi. Shortly after, the priest and Karimi got married. Former Zambian Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, who had also been excommunicated for marrying a woman, then ordained Njogu as bishop, paving the way for the establishment of a new church.
Other Catholic priests said Njogu addressed a concern widely shared by local clergy. “He says what we think,” said a Nairobi priest who wished to remain anonymous for fear of being suspended. “Everyone wants the issue of celibacy to be discussed and resolved.
“It is true that we desire families. But it is also true that some priests have secret families and others continue to prey on children to satisfy their sexual needs,” he said.
Njogu urged Pope Francis to consider ordaining married men as priests to prevent clergy from defecting to Njogu Church, saying he plans to ordain more priests next year.
Njogu, who is also a professor of philosophy and religious studies at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, explained that until the church introduced the rule of celibacy in the late Middle Ages, 11 popes had married. without the church suffering.
Pope Francis had raised the possibility of ordaining married priests, especially in isolated communities where the clergy is lacking. But he ruled out making celibacy optional last year.
“I want to urge our pope to make priestly celibacy optional to increase transparency in the church,” Njogu said. “Celibacy is unbiblical and does not sanctify the priesthood, because the priesthood is a calling. We need to change the law on compulsory celibacy as it leads to allegations of child abuse in the church.”
However, in an interview with Religion News Service, Bishop Philip Anyolo, president of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, dismissed Njogu’s claims, saying no priest was willing to leave the church. “Priests have been called for a special mission and they cannot serve two masters,” he said.
“Those leaving are a few individuals, and we will continue to pray for them so they can live a holy life wherever they go.”
Meanwhile, Muiga said he appreciated the life he missed while single and he thanked God for the revelation.
“God values families and I’m proud that my kids know their dad,” he said. “I realized there was no problem getting married when you are a priest because even other churches are led by men of God who have families.”
