The Director of the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program, Rev. Fr. Joseph Gatamu, was laid to rest on January 19 in Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Nakuru. Fr. Gatamu, who had served as Director since the program’s inception in 2013, passed away on January 7 at the age of 71, after bravely bearing illness since 2023. He had been a priest for 45 years.
The funeral Mass, held at Christ the King Cathedral in Nakuru, was celebrated by the Vision Bearer of the Program and Bishop of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Murang’a, Rt. Rev. James Maria Wainaina. It was attended by hundreds, including clergy, religious, family, friends, colleagues, as well as past and present participants of the Sabbatical Program. Fr. Joe, as he was affectionately known, was remembered as a devoted champion of rest and renewal for clergy and religious.
“He loved his work so much that when he fell ill, it was not easy to convince him to take a break. He was always thinking of ways to support his fellow priests and religious who needed rest,” said Bishop Cleophas Oseso Tuka of Nakuru, whose homily focused on the theme of rest, one that Fr. Gatamu had passionately advocated.
Bishop Wainaina of Murang’a paid tribute to Fr. Gatamu as a man deeply committed to personal renewal and the dignity of every human being. “He believed in the innate good of the human person and lived by the principle, ‘come the way you are,’” Bishop Wainaina noted, recalling that the phrase was inspired by the St. Anselm Sabbatical Program in Kent, England, where Fr. Gatamu had trained. He also expressed gratitude to the Diocese of Nakuru for allowing Fr. Gatamu to serve beyond diocesan boundaries for over a decade, enabling his work to benefit the wider Church.
On her part, Sr. Mary Wambui, LSJ, Deputy Director of the Sabbatical Program and a friend of Fr. Gatamu, for 26 years since their time at St. Anselm, spoke warmly of a colleague whose compassion shaped the program’s soul. “He was a great mentor, a great listener, and a deeply compassionate man of God. Facilitating him was such a blessing,” she said. She added that Fr. Gatamu had worked tirelessly to change the perception of sabbaticals from a place of punishment to a space of healing and care. “Fr. Joe, you were always working, always up and down, but always doing it with joy. Thank you for caring.”
Priests of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru remembered him as an elder brother and role model. “His counsel was wise, his presence reassuring, and his service selfless. He lived his vocation with pastoral zeal and unwavering love for God’s people,” they said in a joint tribute.
Beyond the Church, Fr. Gatamu’s siblings described him as “more than a brother, an anchor, confidant, and hero,” while his nephews and nieces remembered him as “a constant source of comfort and inspiration,” imparting lessons on family, forgiveness, and living with a generous heart.
Born on April 10, 1955, Fr. Joseph Gatamu was ordained a priest of Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Nakuru on January 1, 1981, becoming the fifth diocesan priest ordained after the Diocese’s creation and the first from Subukia. After completing postgraduate studies at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), he served in various pastoral roles within and beyond Nakuru. He joined the St. Anselm Sabbatical Program in Kent, UK, in 1996–1997 and later returned as a staff member.
Since 2013, he served as Director of the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program in the Diocese of Murang’a, dedicating himself to the ongoing renewal of clergy and religious. A mentor and teacher, Fr. Joe deeply believed in the importance of rest, reflection, and personal development for those in ministry, guiding many through seasons of spiritual and personal transformation with wisdom, compassion, and quiet strength.
Fr. Gatamu enjoyed good health until 2023 when illness began to affect him. He received treatment in and out of hospital and returned to his home diocese of Nakuru in 2025, where he continued treatment until his passing on January 7, 2026.
“He has fought, he has endured, he has been strong, but finally mother death has come to him. We can only say thank you, God, for the gift of Fr. Joe, and may You grant him eternal rest,” Bishop Oseso prayed during the funeral Mass.