Bustani ya Karmeli stands for Garden of Carmel. It is the proposed name for the first Carmelite home for the Friars in Kenya. This house came to be after a series of historical events which started some years back.
In the 1994, the first group of students from Kenya went to Spain and joined the Catalonian Province. They were selected by Fr. Edward Padikkalla and Fr. Jose Kallely both from the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate Congregation. They were five and two only were left. These are Frs. Onesmus Muthini Muthoka and Boniface Makau Kimondolo who were ordained as the first Kenyan Carmelite priests in July 2004.
In 1997, the Arago Valencia Province in Spain recruited other three young boys from Kenya. Fr. Stephen Mutua Mweu was the only survival of this bunch. He was ordained priest in July 2007.
In 2001, the Indian Province of St. Thomas (by then a Commissariat) sent Frs. John Neerolickal and Felix Pallipatt to begin the exploration of a new foundation of the Order in Kenya. Fr. Soni Abraham joined them in 2004 for the same mission. On 9th June, 2004, the bishop of Ngong, the Rt. Rev. Cornelius Schilder, in the presence of Fr. Anthony Scerri, the General Councilor, Fr. Christian Koerner, the Provincial for Upper Germany officiated the breaking of the ground ceremony of the new foundation.
The project took eight months as proposed and on 29th June 2005 the new building was blessed by the Fr. Kevin Mcgarry, the Vicar of Ngong diocese.
In the 1994, the first group of students from Kenya went to Spain and joined the Catalonian Province. They were selected by Fr. Edward Padikkalla and Fr. Jose Kallely both from the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate Congregation. They were five and two only were left. These are Frs. Onesmus Muthini Muthoka and Boniface Makau Kimondolo who were ordained as the first Kenyan Carmelite priests in July 2004.
In 1997, the Arago Valencia Province in Spain recruited other three young boys from Kenya. Fr. Stephen Mutua Mweu was the only survival of this bunch. He was ordained priest in July 2007.
In 2001, the Indian Province of St. Thomas (by then a Commissariat) sent Frs. John Neerolickal and Felix Pallipatt to begin the exploration of a new foundation of the Order in Kenya. Fr. Soni Abraham joined them in 2004 for the same mission. On 9th June, 2004, the bishop of Ngong, the Rt. Rev. Cornelius Schilder, in the presence of Fr. Anthony Scerri, the General Councilor, Fr. Christian Koerner, the Provincial for Upper Germany officiated the breaking of the ground ceremony of the new foundation.
The project took eight months as proposed and on 29th June 2005 the new building was blessed by the Fr. Kevin Mcgarry, the Vicar of Ngong diocese.
Today the community is formed by twelve members: Five finally professed (all ordained priests), two simple professed students and five postulants.
Fr. Felix Pallipatt O.Carm. is the actual prior of the community. He was appointed in June 2008.
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