The dispute between an American missionary and the Cardinal of
Nairobi, arriving from Africa to the Vatican.
The bone of contention, two hospitals
Cardinal Njue turned on my religious Institute, Maryknoll, pressing for civil cases that I have undertaken before to withdraw, first against the sisters and then against him.Who entrusted him with the Church is showing a clear abuse of authority, and a serious interference with a civil lawsuit pending trial for Kenyan law."
For the first time father William Charles Fryda, known as Father Bill, talks about the controversy that surrounds his bishop, The Cardinal of Nairobi
In the Roman Curia however, he is tight-lipped: The Cardinal is making no statement on this matter. The bone of contention: two hospitals founded a decade ago by the missionary in Nairobi and Elementaita.
The facts.
The American missionary, who arrived more than thirty years ago in Kenya, has registered the two hospitals to a foundation. These are two of the largest hospitals in the country, which employ four hundred people, including about fifty doctors. These centres offer high quality care at an affordable cost for the poor, this has made father Bill a beloved figure throughout Kenya.
Pending the hospitals registration, the missionary had entrusted the "temporary custody" of land and buildings to a local religious congregation, the Sisters of the Assumption. Three years ago, however, the religious Sisters, invoking the title deeds, attempted to take possession of these structures.
Father Bill was opposed and Cardinal Njue has been proposed as a mediator.
In reality, it appeared that the Cardinal and the nuns had an agreement for the creation of a private, profit making company, the "Regina Pacis University College," not connected to the church or to the sisters, which would be appropriate hospitals.
The project involved the creation of a Medical University.
The story ended up in the Nairobi courts earlier this year.
Father Bill has been invited several times to drop the suit, even by his superiors.
On the 15th April, with a letter from New York, the superior general of the Maryknoll announced the suspension of "a divinis" due to his insubordination, disobedience and refusal to meet his superiors to peacefully resolve the dispute.
"Our hospitals are Catholic, but not owned by the Church, this contention therefore, should not involve ecclesiastical structures."
Father Bill, however, has also appealed to the Vatican, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, accusing the Cardinal that he had abused his position for the sole purpose of "disposing of the properties of a legally registered and non-profit company.
"The missionary suspects that the Cardinal and the Sisters are acting on behalf of others: "Here there are individuals who are attempting to appropriate hospitals whilst hiding behind the Church"