The Kenyan priest died this July 16, 2026, in Uganda. During nearly three decades of priesthood, he brought the Gospel to communities in Spain, Kenya, Uganda, and Venezuela, where he left a profound impact through his closeness and missionary spirit.
By Julio Caldeira *
The Consolata Missionaries family is mourning the passing of Father Chrispine Oduor Okello, IMC, aged 59, which occurred on July 16, 2026, in Uganda. According to reports from the Superior of the Kenya-Uganda Region, the priest suffered a sudden, fatal heart attack just as he arrived at the parish of Kapeeka, where he had been serving as parish priest since February of this year. After collapsing suddenly, he was rushed to the hospital, where doctors confirmed his death.
His passing has caused deep sorrow among his family, fellow missionaries, and the numerous Christian communities in Africa, Europe, and Latin America that he accompanied during his nearly 28 years of priestly ministry.
A Life Given to the Mission
Born on May 24, 1967, in Nairobi (Kenya), Father Chrispine Okello responded from a young age to the missionary calling within the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries, inspired by his uncle. He entered the community in 1988, where he made his first religious profession on August 6, 1992, in Nairobi.
After completing his theological studies in Madrid, Spain, he was ordained a priest on July 23, 1998, in Kisumu, Kenya. He then carried out his ministry first in Spain for several years, and subsequently in Kenya and Uganda. In 2016, he was assigned to the mission in Venezuela, an experience that would deeply mark his spiritual and pastoral life.
There, he accompanied the communities of Carapita (Caracas), Delta Amacuro – among the indigenous Warao people – and later Barlovento, Miranda, serving the parishes of Caucagua, Tapipa, El Clavo, and Panaquire, a reality shaped by Afro-descendant pastoral care. In those places, he was recognized for his simplicity, closeness, joy, and commitment to the poorest.
In a video recorded in 2019, Father Chrispine spoke about his mission accompanying the indigenous Warao: “I believe I am living out our charism of working with the poorest and proclaiming the Good News. You experience the joy of being with them, working, sharing, eating with them… It is a proclamation of being present and accompanying these people.”
In 2023, he celebrated his 25th anniversary of missionary priesthood, surrounded by Venezuelan communities who thanked him for his generous dedication to the Gospel. Those who shared the mission with Father Chrispine remember a missionary who never abandoned the most vulnerable people, even in contexts marked by violence, poverty, and exclusion. His life reflected the charism of Saint Joseph Allamano: to proclaim the Gospel where the Church needs it most.
In February 2023, he attended the G25 ongoing formation course in Rome for missionaries celebrating 25 years of ordination or religious profession.
Dedicated Heart and Soul to Pastoral Care
In announcing his passing, the Kenya-Uganda Region expressed the grief of the entire Consolata family:
“His sudden departure has caused deep sorrow among the Consolata Missionaries worldwide, his family, the Christian community of Kapeeka parish, his friends, and all who knew him. His priestly life remains as a testament to missionary commitment, pastoral charity, and fidelity to the proclamation of the Gospel.”
The statement added that, although he had only been at Kapeeka parish for a few months, Father Chrispine “dedicated himself heart and soul to the pastoral care of the People of God, faithfully living out the missionary vocation that the Church and the Consolata Missionaries had entrusted to him.”
The Gratitude of Venezuela
The Venezuelan communities, where he left a profound mark during his seven years of mission, also expressed their gratitude. In a moving message, the Consolata Missionaries in Venezuela emphasized:
“We remember and thank with deep love the journey of our dear Father Chrispine, who gave his life to the service of the Gospel on Venezuelan soil.”
Similarly, they recalled his service in Carapita, Tucupita, and Barlovento, where he left a testimony of closeness, fraternity, and missionary dedication. The statement concludes by entrusting his life to the Lord and asking Our Lady Consolata to grant strength to his family, fellow missionaries, and all the communities that mourn his passing today.
A Legacy That Remains
With the death of Father Chrispine Oduor Okello, the Church bids farewell to a missionary who made closeness to people and to the poorest the center of his vocation. His life was a bridge between continents and cultures, proclaiming the Gospel with simplicity, joy, and fidelity until his very last day.
Today, the Consolata Missionaries, together with communities in Africa, Europe, and America, lift up a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of his life and ministry.
Funeral Arrangements:
- Friday, July 17 Holy Mass and vigil service at Our Lady Consolata Parish in Kapeeka, Diocese of Kasana-Luweero, starting at 2:00 PM.
- Saturday, July 18 Holy Mass at Our Lady Consolata Parish in Bweyogerere, Archdiocese of Kampala, at 12:00 PM; thereafter, the body will be transferred to the funeral home for the overnight vigil.
- Sunday, July 19 Departure for Saint Joseph Parish in Ugunja, Archdiocese of Kisumu, for the funeral vigil.
- Monday, July 20 The body will be transferred to the deceased’s home in Alego Ka-ugagi, Uradi, Siaya County; overnight stay at the funeral home.
- Tuesday, July 21 The body will depart early in the morning for the Saint Joseph Allamano Formation Center of the Archdiocese of Nyeri for the overnight funeral vigil.
- Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Burial at the Consolata Missionaries Cemetery in Mathari, Archdiocese of Nyeri.
* Father Julio Caldeira, IMC, missionary in Cartagena del Chairá, Colombia.
