By Lourine Oluoch
I
have always believed that one of the qualities one needs to become a bishop is that he has to be loud. Maybe it’s because my archbishop thunders when he preaches, in such a loud voice that one is compelled to pay attention.
When I meet Bishop Alfred Kipkoech Rotich of the military ordinariate, I am surprised that he is so soft spoken and that too for a soldier. He gives me the directions to his residence in a precise manner typical of a soldier; he draws on a piece of paper the compass direction and points me west. And at his residence I find the bishop dressed as a colonel. The only difference that would put him apart from other military officers of his rank are tiny crosses on his jacket lapels. At 55, the colonel Bishop is set to retire having served for 25 years as chaplain and bishop of the military. The Seed caught up with the bishop and brings you the interview.
Who is bishop Rotich?
My name is Alfred Kipkoech Rotich, bishop of the military ordinariate. I hold the rank of a colonel in the military. On retirement this July I will be referred to as colonel retired. I was consecrated bishop on July 3, 1996 and installed as bishop of the military on the November 1, succeeding then his Eminence Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga. At first I thought they did not know God at all because the language that was being used at training was devoid of what I am used to, the peace, love, love your neighbour, let us pray… We were not even celebrating mass daily because there was no room for that. But on Sundays I was tasked to celebrate mass for them and I said to myself ‘I think they need God.’
What exactly do you do as a bishop in charge of an ordinariate?
As a bishop I was raised to shepherd the military. I played two roles; that of a chaplain and a bishop.
The military training is quite rigorous; did you ever feel like leaving?
The first two weeks in the boot camp in any military are the worst. The training is very rigorous and I think it’s the hardest in the world. At that point I questioned my reason for being there. What happened in the diocese that I had to be sent to a disciplinary? I was even asking people how I could get out because I was ??????????????????????????????$?????????????????????????????$?????????????????????????????$????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Q????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????()]???????????????????????????????????????)$?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????U??????????????$?????????????????????????????9???????????????????????????-???????????
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