After 28 years of priesthood, Fr. Patrick Muteti thought he understood exhaustion.

But it was the death of his beloved mother that finally forced him to slow down.

“I was willing to come for the program. The main reason was that my mother had died,” the Kenyan priest recalled during an interview ahead of the May 8 graduation ceremony of the 26th Session of the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program.

“My Bishop realized that Muteti was going down. He told me, ‘Father, can you go for a rest?’ And I said, ‘Why not?’ because I had stayed in the ministry for 28 years without resting.”

At the time, however, the Kenyan cleric did not fully recognize how deeply grief had affected him. What initially appeared as exhaustion and emotional heaviness was, in part, unresolved grief following the loss of his mother.

He arrived at the four-month residential sabbatical program seeking rest, renewal and re-energizing after nearly three decades of continuous ministry.

“That is exactly what happened,” he reflected. “I feel new. I feel integrated. Intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.”

Before joining the sabbatical program, Fr. Muteti was ministering to the people of God in Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Wote, where he continued carrying out pastoral responsibilities while navigating the emotional weight of personal loss.

Although ministry had taught him how to accompany others through grief and hardship, the teacher and counselor by profession realized he had not given himself the same opportunity. 

“I had not had enough time to mourn and to grieve,” he acknowledged. “So when I came here, I took a very good time to go through the pain, and I was assisted by the facilitators until I became relieved,” he added, referencing the sabbatical program.

The experience, he said, became not only a period of rest, but also a space for emotional healing and deeper self-awareness.

“They helped me understand myself better,” he shared, referencing the facilitators of the Kenya-based program. “I am more aware of myself than before, and now I feel I can share even more things from within.”

For Fr. Muteti, the journey toward priesthood itself was shaped by both family faith and personal loss.

“My parents were very committed Christians,” he recalled. “But after my elder brother, who was my mentor, died, I almost gave up.”

Over time, however, the encouragement and witness of diocesan priests helped him rediscover his path.

“I used to meet diocesan priests who advised us and encouraged us,” he reflected. “I thought it was good also to do the same.”

Nearly three decades later, the priest who enjoys walking, playing volleyball, watching football and spending time with young people remains deeply grateful for his vocation and ministry.

Following the conclusion of the 26th session, Fr. Muteti said he was leaving the sabbatical program feeling emotionally lighter, spiritually renewed and energized for the next chapter of priestly life.

“I feel rejuvenated,” he said warmly. “I think the battery is now full of power.”

For priests and religious considering a sabbatical experience, he believes taking time to rest and heal is not a luxury, but a necessity.

“I would like to appeal to all priests and religious men and women to find time to come to the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program and experience what I have experienced,” he said.

Inspired by Fr. Muteti’s sabbatical experience? Applications for the 27th Session of the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program, set to begin on August 3, are ongoing. Apply today by visiting: St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program Application Page