Special service for retiree

THE St Peters Chanel Catholic Church at Erima held a special thanksgiving service and a big feast for a retiring long service layperson on Saturday.
Mary Taita Erico, commonly known as Mama Erico, was farewelled with a special service for her 46 years of service to the church and community.
The mass was attended by family members, friends and parishioners, including members of the parish council, Fr Marcianus Bei, former parish priest Fr Paul Luwan and Fr Freddy Jehadin, the Father Superior of SVD based at Bomana.
Erico and her late husband started the first church with a handful of residents and the first missionaries in 1970.
After losing her husband about 30 years ago, Erico looked after the missionaries from abroad.
Many missionaries moved on while Erico stayed on.
Former parish priest Paul Luwan, who spent 13 years there, described Erico as a hard working person with great compassion and dedication to serve others.
Luwan said Erico’s love was too much and too great to comprehend.
Her daughter Vivian was lost for words for the service dedicated to her mother.
Vivian, who was a senior officer of the National Housing Corporation, organised her mother’s dedication service and feast which was also attended by her managers and officers.