Deacon Lawrence Muvengi
THROUGH CHRIST, all things are possible. Rejoice and be glad!
I am Deacon Lawrence Muvengi. I was born in a place called Makueni in Kenya. As with many vocations, mine began within my family. I was blessed to be born to parents who loved God and loved each other. From an early age, my parents and grandmother taught me how to love and serve God. I certainly look back now and see how God planted seeds in me at a tender age as it regards priesthood. One highlight of my childhood was receiving my first communion, and
I was very excited when I was finally old enough to serve at a Holy Mass.
By the time I finished high school, it was clear to me that the Lord was calling me to priesthood. Amazingly, one Sunday, my parish priest approached me and asked if I would take the opportunity to study to become a priest. During this time, I met brothers from Missionaries of the Poor who had visited Kenya that year for a vocational campaign. I later joined them in the year 2005, but my goal was not yet complete. I consulted my spiritual director, who encouraged me not to give up but to pray to God that He may open new doors for me. During this time, I met Emeritus Archbishop Charles Dufour, who warmly welcomed me to the Archdiocese of Kingston and, within the same year, with the guidance of Fr Donald Chambers, who was our formator, enrolled me as one of the students at St Michael’s Theological College. After two years of studying theology, I was sent to St John Vianney and Ugandan Martyrs Major Seminary in Trinidad and Tobago, where I was able to accomplish my studies to priesthood in the year 2017. I was ordained to transitional diaconate on July 1, 2018.
It has been such a joy for me to study philosophy and theology in order to go deeper into the mysteries and the beauty of our Catholic faith. I remember Archbishop Emeritus Edgerton Clarke at my stay at Holy Cross Church saying that priesthood is not about doing our own thing but becoming Christ to others. This formation is basically rounded in four pillars: spiritual life and human, academic and pastoral work. Without one of them, the formation to priesthood could not be complete. I can testify that I have encountered many challenges which have shaken and formed me to be who I am today.
I want to thank all those who have encouraged me to grow and also all those who have challenged me to grow in my faith; I ask the faithful to keep me in their prayers, and that God continue to bless our Archbishop Kenneth Richards, all the priests and deacons serving in communion with him.