Pope Francis has appointed Reverend Father John Kiplimo Lelei as Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret.
An auxiliary bishop is a bishop assigned to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral and administrative needs of the diocese.
The news of Fr Kiplimo's appointment was officially published in L’Osservatore Romano in Rome on March 27, 2024, at 12pm Rome time (2pm Kenyan time).
Archbishop Bert van Megen who is the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, also conveyed the message of the appointment to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) through an official communication.
In part, the Nuncio’s letter reads;
“I have the honour and pleasure to inform you that Pope Francis has appointed Reverend Father John Kiplimo Lelei as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret. The Bishop-elect hails from the clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret.”
Until his appointment, Fr Kiplimo was serving as the Chaplain of St George’s Chaplaincy and Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret.
The appointment means Bishop Kiplimo will be an assistant to Bishop of Eldoret Diocese, Dominic Kimengich.
Kimengich explained that the Diocese was big and with a growing number faithful hence his request to the Pope to have an assistant.
"We are grateful to the Pope for the appointment and the will to help us to serve the church and our people in a better way," Bishop Kimengich said.
Megen said the Diocese Eldoret, which covers Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet, was expansive and very active hence the importance of having an Auxiliary Bishop.
It's the first time the Diocese will have an Auxiliary Bishop.
