Father Sandro Ferretto, a 55-year-old Italian-born Catholic priest, has officially left the priesthood to marry his partner, Sharon Jepng'ok, a Tugen woman from Baringo South, Kenya. The wedding ceremony took place on Saturday, September 6, 2026, in Seretion Village, Kasiela, in the Baringo South region, following Kalenjin cultural rites.
Priest Leaves Ministry After 12 Years in Kenya
Ferretto was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Padua, Italy, before beginning his missionary work in Kenya in 2008. He served as a missionary priest for 12 years at the Diocese of Nyahururu, specifically in the Kasiela and Mochongoi areas of Baringo County. According to Kenyan media reports, including Tuko, Ferretto met his now-bride during his missionary work in the Baringo region, and their relationship deepened until he decided to leave his priestly duties to pursue family life.
Viral videos on social media showed Ferretto, dressed in a suit, dancing with his new bride during the ceremony. The event was a Koito ceremony, a traditional Kalenjin marriage rite that includes formal dowry negotiations and receiving family blessings.
Church Celibacy Rules and Historical Precedents
Under Catholic priestly rules, priests take a vow of celibacy, which requires them to leave the priesthood and be released from all clerical obligations before getting married. By marrying, Ferretto has effectively abandoned active ministry. The Catholic Church has not yet reacted to the development.
Ferretto's marriage is part of a broader pattern of priests leaving the priesthood to start families. A 2018 report by Crux Now documented the story of former Catholic priest Father Njogu, who left the Catholic Church, joined the breakaway Renewed Universal Catholic Church, and married his partner, Berith Karimi Njogu. A 2023 report by Church Leaders (RNS) told of Reverend Edwin Githang'i Waiguru, who left the Catholic Church in 2023 to join the splinter Catholic Charismatic Church after marrying his partner.
Vatican Doctrine Unchanged
While the Vatican has historically shown willingness to adapt doctrines, there has been no change to the restriction on priests marrying and starting families. The decision by Ferretto underscores the ongoing tension between priestly celibacy and personal family aspirations, a topic that remains a point of discussion within the Church.
Ferretto's transition from priest to husband marks a significant personal shift, and his wedding has drawn attention to the broader issue of priestly celibacy in the Catholic Church, particularly in Kenya, where such cases have occurred before.
