A 55-year-old Italian Catholic priest, Sandro Ferretto, has left the priesthood and married a woman from Baringo South in Kenya
Ferretto, who previously served as a Catholic parish priest in Kasiela and Mochongoi in Baringo County, held his traditional wedding ceremony with Jepng’ok on Sunday, September 6
The couple formalised their union through a Koito ceremony, a Kalenjin customary marriage rite that typically involves dowry negotiations and blessings from the families of the bride and groom
Relatives, community elders, local leaders and Jepng’ok’s colleagues attended the ceremony, which marked the couple’s transition into married life
Ferretto was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Padua in Italy before beginning his missionary work in Kenya in 2008
During his years in Baringo, he served in Kasiela and Mochongoi under the Diocese of Nyahururu, where he became known for his pastoral work, youth programmes and community development initiatives
He returned to Italy in December 2020 alongside fellow missionary priest Mariano Dal Ponte
By 2023, Ferretto was leading a pastoral unit in Saletto, Borgo Veneto, where he was responsible for eight churches He later stepped down from the position to take a period of reflection.
He subsequently returned to Kenya, where he reunited with Jepng’ok, whom he had met during his missionary service in Baringo
The marriage has attracted attention in both Kenya and Italy, particularly because of Ferretto’s longstanding ties to the Baringo community and his decision to leave Catholic priesthood and embrace family life
What Catholic law says about priests and marriage
Under Latin Catholic canon law, Catholic priests are generally bound to celibacy and are prohibited from marrying while in sacred orders
Canon 277 §1 states that clerics are obliged to observe “perfect and perpetual continence” and are therefore bound to celibacy, describing celibacy as a special gift that enables priests to remain devoted to Christ and dedicate themselves to the service of God and others
Canon 1087 further provides that those who are in sacred orders invalidly attempt marriage
Consequently, a Catholic priest who wishes to marry must undergo the appropriate church procedures to be dispensed from the obligations of clerical celibacy and/or be dismissed from the clerical state
Ferretto’s case represents a significant personal transition from a life dedicated to Catholic ministry to marriage and family life, while also marking the continuation of his long-standing relationship with the Kenyan community where he spent years as a missionary