The Late Bp. Baldacchino buried

The late Bishop Francis Baldacchino of Malindi was finally laid to rest yesterday (October 13, 2009) in a send-off befitting a faithful servant during a funeral Mass presided over by His Eminence John Cardinal Njue the chairman of Kenya Episcopal conference at the Maltese Capital, Valleta.

The burial was also attended by among others Archbishop Boniface Lele of Mombasa (Kenya), Bishop Philip Sulumeti, the Vice chairman, Kenya Episcopal Conference and Bishop Paul Darmanin of Garissa.

The Cardinal paid glowing tribute to the late Bishop Baldacchino, whom he said he will be remembered for his selfless service as a missionary in Kenya.

Cardinal Njue described the late as a being 'not only the Bishop of Malindi but a very faithful member of the Kenya Episcopal Conference where he dedicated his energy, wisdom and knowledge at the national (Kenya) Catholic Secretariat, specifically in the Secretariat’s Commission for Inter-Religious dialogue, an area he was an expert.

“May his pastoral zeal , now that he is gone become ours and continue through us who are alive,, that all his pastoral dreams for the Diocese of Malindi may come to fulfillment. ,” said cardinal Njue in his message of condolence.

Bishop Baldacchino who until his death was the ordinary of Malindi was laid to rest in Malta, his land of origin.

At the same time, the clergy, religious and the faithful in the former Bishop Baldacchino's diocese of Malindi celebrated a requiem Mass to coincide with the burial at the Diocese’s St. Anthony cathedral. The Mass was celebrated by the Diocese’s Vicar-General, Fr. Albert Buijs, who said the diocese had lost a humble, faithful shepherd.

“His works speak for themselves, from education to development to pastoral. We have 5 parishes when we were given this diocese in 2000, now, our dear bishop leaves behind 14 Parishes,” said the Vicar-general.

The Diocese will be celebrating another Requiem Mass on Sunday, October, 18.

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