St. Joseph Gikumbo Catholic Parish

Basic Parish Information

Parish Name: St. Joseph Gikumbo Catholic Parish

Patron Saint: St. Joseph, Husband of Mary

Date Established: 12 January 1997 (Subject to verification where parish records indicate 1 April 1997 as the date of canonical erection.)

About the Parish

St. Joseph Gikumbo Catholic Parish is a vibrant faith community within the Archdiocese of Nyeri, serving the people of Magutu and the surrounding areas. Established to meet the growing pastoral needs of the faithful, the parish continues to proclaim the Gospel through worship, evangelization, Christian formation, and service.

Dedicated to St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, the parish strives to be a welcoming community where all encounter Christ through prayer, the sacraments, and active participation in the life of the Church.

Our History

St. Joseph Gikumbo Catholic Parish was established in 1997 after being carved out of Karatina Catholic Parish to better serve the growing Catholic population in Magutu. The parish became part of Karatina Deanery under the Archdiocese of Nyeri through the guidance of His Grace Most Rev. Nicodemus Kirima.

The founding Parish Priest, Fr. John Muturi, laid a strong foundation for the parish’s spiritual and physical growth. During his tenure, he initiated the construction of the parish church, renovated a former teachers’ residence at Gikumbo Secondary School into the priests’ residence, and acquired the parish’s first pastoral vehicle to support evangelization.

In 2003, Fr. Francis Mathenge assumed leadership of the parish. Through his pastoral leadership, the Christian community continued to grow in faith, and he successfully mobilized parishioners to construct a multipurpose parish hall.

He was succeeded by Fr. Mutero, who faithfully continued the work of evangelization and pastoral care until 2014, strengthening the parish’s spiritual life and community outreach.

From 2012 to 2016, Fr. Kinuthia served as Parish Priest and initiated the construction of the current priests’ residence, an important milestone in the parish’s infrastructure development.

In 2016, Fr. Godfrey Gichuki became Parish Priest and served until 2024. His tenure saw significant improvements to the parish facilities, including renovation of the church, construction of the perimeter wall, landscaping of the parish compound, and reorganization of the parish offices to improve service delivery.

On 20 May 2025, Fr. David Hunyu assumed leadership of the parish. One of his first major initiatives was the introduction of green energy through the installation of a solar power system, making the parish more environmentally sustainable and reducing operational costs.

Today, St. Joseph Gikumbo Parish continues to grow as a vibrant Christian community committed to faith, service, and the mission of the Church.

Vision

To be a people united in one heart and one mind with Jesus Christ.

Mission

To be united as a community of disciples of Jesus Christ, proclaiming the Roman Catholic faith through worship, evangelization, Christian formation, and service within the parish and beyond.

Core Values

The life and ministry of the parish are guided by four fundamental values:

  • Evangelize

  • Worship

  • Study

  • Serve

Worship & Sacraments

Mass Schedule

Sunday

  • 9:00 a.m.

Weekdays (Monday–Saturday)

  • 7:00 a.m.

Confessions

  • Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

  • Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Eucharistic Adoration

  • Every Thursday

  • 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Parish Outstations

The parish serves the faithful through ten outstations:

  1. St. Mathias Lumumba – Gitimaini

  2. St. Charles Lwanga – Karura

  3. Mary Immaculate – Gaikuyu

  4. St. Kizito – Unjiru

  5. St. Joseph – Gikumbo

  6. St. Augustine – Gacuiro

  7. Our Lady of Lourdes – Kihuro

  8. Our Lady of the Assumption – Kiawarigi

  9. Christ the King – Itiati

  10. St. Catherine of Siena – Kiamucheru

Small Christian Communities

The parish has 59 Small Christian Communities (SCCs) that form the foundation of parish life, promoting prayer, evangelization, Christian fellowship, and pastoral outreach throughout the parish.

Catholic Institutions within the Parish

The parish supports several Catholic-sponsored educational institutions, including:

  • Gikumbo Primary School

  • Kihuro Primary School

  • Unjiru Primary School

  • Gikumbo Secondary School

  • General China Secondary School

Achievements

Since its establishment, St. Joseph Gikumbo Catholic Parish has recorded significant milestones in its journey of faith and development, including:

  • Continued growth in the faith and active participation of the Christian community.

  • Increased vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

  • Construction and improvement of parish infrastructure.

  • Development of facilities across the parish and its outstations.

  • Construction of a multipurpose parish hall.

  • Construction of the priests’ residence.

  • Renovation of the parish church.

  • Improvement of the parish compound through landscaping and perimeter fencing.

  • Reorganization of parish administrative offices.

  • Introduction of solar energy to promote environmental stewardship and sustainable parish operations.

As the parish continues to grow, St. Joseph Gikumbo Catholic Parish remains committed to nurturing faith, strengthening families, promoting vocations, and building a Christ-centred community through prayer, service, and the celebration of the sacraments.