St. Austin’s Catholic Church has a rich history dating back to 1899 as the Oldest Church in inland Kenya and is currently a key historic site being considered for gazettement as a “Kenya Heritage Site”.

“A bleak, swampy stretch of soggy landscape, wind-swept, devoid of human habitation of any sort, the resort of thousands of wild animals of every species. The only evidence of the occasional presence of human kind was the old caravan track skirting the bog-like plain.”—THE GENESIS OF KENYA COLONY.

These words describe the Nairobi of a little more than a century ago, where lions, rhinos, leopards, giraffes, deadly snakes, and myriads of other forms of wildlife made their home. The brave Masai brought their beloved cattle to the fresh waters of a stream located there, a welcome sight for the nomadic communities. In fact, the Masai called the river Uaso Nairobi, meaning “Cold Water,” and the location Enkarre Nairobi, meaning “Place of Cool Waters”—thus providing the name for the area that would completely alter Kenya’s history. An important event in the development of Nairobi was the construction of the Kenyan railway, once known as the Lunatic Express and in mid-1899, the 530km of track stretching from the coastal city of Mombasa to Nairobi had been laid and arrived into Nairobi.

On May 31st 1899, the Uganda railway or the ‘iron snake’ reached “Uaso” Nairobi. This railway facilitated movement and on Saturday, August 12, 1899, French Holy Ghost Missionaries led by Bishop Emile Allgeyer, Fr. Alain Hémery and Br. Blanchard Dillenseger arrived at St. Austin’s. The following day, they had their first Mass marking the birth of St. Austin’s parish. The First Catholic Parish Inland Kenya.The mission was established to serve the spiritual needs of the community in the Westlands/Parklands area, which was a significant hub for evangelization in accordance with the Spiritan Charism.

The missionaries also secured land from a local chief Mzundo to build another church which is the site of present Holy Family Basilica. From St. Austin’s the Catholic Church spread out to other parts of Kenya with the Holy Ghost Missionaries evangelizing the Archdioceses of Nairobi and Mombasa as well as the Diocese of Machakos. The Spiritan missionaries did not only plant the word of God but also planted coffee, the mocha coffee which flourished in the highlands. Already, it had been grown at Holy Ghost missions in Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) with great success. Although coffee had grown in the wild for many years earlier,

St. Austin’s mission is regarded as the birthplace of coffee in Kenya. A memorial tree was planted at the parish in the year 1999 in collaboration with the Coffee Board of Kenya.

Initially, the parish began as a small mission under the guidance of the Holy Ghost missionaries. Over the years, it grew in response to the influx of people from various backgrounds, contributing to its diverse congregation.

In addition to religious services, St. Austin’s has been involved in various outreach programs such as the POKOT PEACE CARAVAN, supporting local communities and refugees from neighboring countries of Burundi, Congo etc.….and fostering a sense of unity and belonging among its members. The parish has evolved with the times, adapting to the changing needs of its congregation while maintaining its commitment to Catholic teachings. The Parish now hosts both the communauté catholique francophone de nairobi C.C.F.N and the Catholic International Communities C.I.C. The parish has played a pivotal role in community development and has been instrumental in various social and educational initiatives.

Today, St. Austin’s Parish remains a vibrant center for worship, spiritual education, and social action, reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of Nairobi and the enduring legacy of its founding mission.

Many blessings to you.

ONE HEART ONE MIND