Limuru town is located on a mountainous landscape that borders the beginning of the Great
Rift Valley. It is about thirty kilometers West of Nairobi. Limuru is a town whose
development has been boosted by the presence of a few factories including the famous Bata
Shoe Company. Thus the town with its environs is highly populated. It is important to
remember that this town is altitudinally high - 2272 meters above sea level.
The Friary of St. Francis of Assisi was built in 1992, when Friars got an invitation to
share the Franciscan spirit among the Kikuyu people from Cardinal Maurice Otunga (†
2003).
Franciscan Kolbe Press, commonly known as Kolbe Press, was established in 1986 at
Ruiri-Meru District by the Friars Minor Conventual. It was the first large-scaled printing
plant in the Eastern Province of Kenya. It aimed at evangelizing through print media. Its
first product was a magazine called The Messenger of Mary Immaculate, which is still
published by the Franciscans and printed in the same press. Later on, the publication was
followed by many others until the press became the centre of Catholic publications in the
Eastern and Central Kenya. Because running the press demands daily contact with the
customers, and all the materials and service are available in Nairobi, it was necessary to
move all the equipment from Ruiri closer to the capital city. But before that, Press has
grown from strength to strength ever since it was established. As we have seen, the Press
was established as a tiny plant which only catered for the said magazine. At the time of
its establishment there were almost no Catholic printing plants in existence. The press
therefore gained professional mileage as years went by. All Catholic publishers began
bringing their works for printing until the press could no longer handle the baggage. This
prompted Fr John Lempicki (first managing director) to employ four permanent workers. They
were to take care of the two binding machines, one printing machine and a folding machine.
The rest of the machines were tiny and could be operated by any idle casual.
This institution is therefore a fruition of St. Maximilian Kolbe who was the first
Franciscan to venture in both print and the electronic media in the 20th century.
Maximilian Kolbe was born in Poland towards the end of the 19th century. The Freemasons
and their work infuriated him during his stay at Rome in the early 20th century. He came
up with a militia group that was to fight against any evils especially those of the
freemasons. He called them The Militia of Mary Immaculate. These were to be the soldiers
of Christ whose fight against evil had to be continued by his followers. Maximilian
realized that he could not accomplish his mission with his words only. He willed that
there be a permanent writing about the group he himself had founded. Thus printing by the
Franciscan Friars began from Poland, his native land, around the same time.
In addition to running the parish and the printing press, the friars have also helped in
establishing St. Anthony Women Centre whose aim is to assist young ladies in need of
special help, such as psychological growth accompanied with useful trades, e.g. tailoring.
Recently, the friars have also commenced the construction of a block that will serve as an
orphanage. This block is being erected within the same area of St. Anthony Women Centre. A
religious congregation of the Daughters of the Sacred Heart takes care of the Centre.
On 6th of October 2002, the 10th Anniversary of our Franciscan parish in Limuru was
illuminated by the blessing and opening St. Anthony Children's Home.
We are so happy to see that we finished the project for the children. That was our big
recent struggle. In that very parish, we have a slam where are a lot of children left
without any care. Many children are without parents looking for some shelter on the
streets and in our Church. Those in the slam are living in the simple houses made from
plastic paper. The condition of the children is very poor. For example: the oldest child
(12 years) looking after three, four or five younger children. Some are dying because of
hanger, some because of aids, and some because lack of basic medical attention. That
situation of the children of our parish was really painful for us, and that’s why we
are so happy now to see the house ready.
Although the house is not yet fully equipped we have accommodated already 40 girls, but
the house is prepared up to 80 children and soon the house will be full. We know that we
cannot help all of them but at least to those who are in desperate need.
Address:
Conventual Franciscan Friars
P. O. Box 468
00217 LIMURU, Kenya
Tel. (+254 20) 209 12 23
e-mail:
