We regret to communicate that Msgr. Cormac Burke, our Assistant Chaplain passed on peacefully on 22nd November 2021.

He was the first chaplain of Strathmore School (1978).

He was a former Irish Civil Lawyer and was ordained a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei in 1955. After 30 years of pastoral work in Africa, United Sates and England, he was appointed a judge of the High Court of the Church, the Roman Rota(1986-1999) during the Pontificate of St. John Paul II.

Upon retirement, he asked to return to Nairobi, Kenya, where he continued to work in the school Chaplaincy, while guiding many other men and women along their path to God.

He was the author of numerous books and articles, and remained an invaluable consultant to the Holy See.

We keep him in our prayers, offering up many hours of study, work and all we do during these days for the repose of his soul.

May he rest in eternal peace.

On 23rd November at the 11.55am and 2.05pm Masses we prayed for Mr. Micheal Pike on the first anniversary of his death.

Mr. Pike arrived in Kenya From Uruguay in 1988 and was a dedicated and loved teacher for all those years.

He passed on last year on the 23rd of November. He is buried in Langata Cemetery. We keep praying for his soul and thanking God for the opportunity of having met him and learned from his life.

On Saturday 2nd of October 2021 at St. Austins Church 2 students received their Baptism and First Holy Communion.

Gatai Mwaura Form 1 Alpha and Myles Wangai Form 2 Alpha. Mr. Were from the Primary Section sponsored Myles Wangai and Gatai Mwaura Was Sponsored by Mr. Gatai his uncle.

Fr. Francis conferred on the students the sacraments. The students were also accompanied in the ceremony with their parents and family members.

For the 1st Holy Communion there were 4 students:
1. Gatai Mwaura
2. Myles Wangai
3. Christopher Ngili Form 1 A
4. Adrian Kinyanjui Form 1 A

On 31st January, the school Chaplain Fr. Francis Rimbau celebrated a thanksgiving mass at the courtyard in between the library and the form 4 class. This was to give thanks for the results of last years KCPE and KCSE national examinations. Parents from both the Form 4 and Standard 8 class of 2019 showed gratitude by presenting tokens of appreciation to teachers and auxiliary staff.

As part of the thanksgiving mass we also hosted our alumni class of 1989. The class was the first Form 4 class to have graduated as a Form 4 class with the 8-4-4 curriculum. The alumni class gave a cheque of ksh 500,000 to start off an endowment fund dubbed 1989(8-4-4 class) Endowment fund. The alumni had lunch in the school’s dinning hall and interacted with the current students.

December 17th 2019 the prelate visited Strathmore School for a get-together with young men. He began by reminding the standing-space crowd that December 17th was indeed a joyful day, since it was the Pope’s birthday, and that we should all pray very much for him. And especially these days are joyful because they lead up to Christmas, to the birth of Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Alaine, an ardent soccer player, asked how to help his friends fight against the enslavement of the social media. The Father’s advice was that each person should have a very clear goal for their lives, what one really wants to achieve in life. And “the greatest goal we can have is to look for Christ, to fulfill his will, and to do so we need to form ourselves very well, knowing we are called by God.”

Andrew, a university student, asked about the unrest that can arise in trying to discern one’s vocation. He was advised “to go to Jesus, to go to the tabernacle.” And not to fear or be anxious that our Lord will demand something that is too difficult. “Rather what God wants will make me happy, which is what God wants for everyone, that we be happy. ‘That my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full’ (Jn 15:11).”

In response to a question about the struggle for purity, the Father advised him to pray “especially to the Blessed Virgin Mary, without getting discouraged because of our falls.” He made the analogy that even physically when we fall to the ground we don’t stay down. So too in the spiritual life. And it is this sporting spirit combined with being prudent that will help us in this struggle. He gave the example of someone facing temptations from the mobile phone at night, who makes the decision to leave it outside the room. “Ask for advice from a friend, someone who has more experience, a priest, so that your effort will be more effective.” He then shared Saint Josemaria’s advice to pray three Hail Mary’s before going to bed every night, and to begin again in this struggle like a true sportsman.

Towards the end of the get-together a choir sang a moving rendition of Sauti Sol’s “Baba Yangu” — a song of thanks to one’s father.

And with that, it was already time to finish. He reminded everyone to pray a lot for the Holy Father and then gave his fatherly blessing.…..read more