KENYA: Consolata Missionary Sister Killed in Somalia to be beatified in Italy in June 2018
A second Consolata Missionary Sisters in Eastern Africa is set to be beatified mid this year. Sr. Leonella Sgorbati who was assassinated in Mogadishu-Somalia is scheduled for beatification on 26th May, 2018 in her native Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio, Italy.
Ambushed and shot by two gunmen in Somalia’s war torn capital of Mogadishu on 17th, September, 2006, Sr. Leonella was among the eight individuals who in November 2017, Pope Francis authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate Decrees regarding their causes for sainthood.
Hostel Chapel in Nairobi
She was buried at Nazareth Hospital cemetery in Kiambu County some 30 kilometres from Nairobi City, Kenya, but following the announcement by Pope Francis, her remains were exhumed and moved to Flora Hostel Chapels of Consolata Missionary Sisters in Nairobi.
According to the Regional Superior of the Congregation, Sr. Joan Agnes Matimu, a number of Consolata Missionary Sisters from Kenya together with H.E. John Cardinal Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi will travel to Italy to represent the rest of the Congregation members. Thereafter a special thanksgiving mass will be held at Consolata Shrine in Nairobi on 16th June.
Due to lack of space at the Chapel where the remains of Sr. Leonella lies, it is not possible to have the special thanksgiving Mass at the venue. However, on 27th May, the Sunday after beatification all the two ordinary Mass celebrations that usually take place at the chapel will be turned to thanksgiving ceremonies.
Sr. Matimu explained in an exclusive interview with AMECEA Online News that the decision to start the course of Sr. Leonella’s beatification was made during their General Chapter in 2011.
“We had received a request from the Bishop of Djibouti who is also the Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu, Rt. Rev. Giorgio Bertin, O.F.M. He felt that we could start a process of opening a course of beatification for Sr. Leonella in recognition of her martyrdom, so we discussed the issue at the General Chapter and gave responsibility to one of our sisters.”
Missionary Sisters at Flora Hostel Chapel where remains
of Sr. Leonella are preserved
Considering how long it took for the beatification process of Sr. Irene Stefan also a Consolata Missionary who worked and died to come to an end, Sr. Matimu said the congregation did not think that the process would be so immediate; Sr. Irene Stephany died in 1930 and was beatified in 2015.
Although the beatification is taking place in Italy and not here in Kenya, which would have been loved by many people, Sr. Matimu explained that the Consolata Missionary Sisters are happy and grateful to God that the Catholic Church has recognized the simple act of Love that Sr. Leonella witnessed to.
“She used to say that I know there is a bullet that carries my name but it hasn’t come yet; and she could admit that she was afraid but then again say that where there is fear there is no love and I am here to love these people,” Sr. Matimu expressed adding that Sr. Leonella opted to stay in Somalia knowing the danger that was there.
“We still believe that she is interceding for peace in Somalia, we believe that she can still do something, can still give hope to the people of Somalia because that was her dream, to give hope,” explained Sr. Matimu whose first Religious Vows were received by Sr. Leonella who at the time was the Regional Superior in Kenya. She further expressed that when Sr. Leonella went to Somalia she took it as her mission and would often say that helping the young people do something for their lives will take them away from the guns and idleness that makes them vulnerable for recruitment into militia groups.
“I believe that that dream still lives on. We have never closed our community in Somalia and according to our statistics we still have our community in Mogadishu and hope that one day we shall go back and continue with the work we started,” Sr. Matimu said.
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