Father Angelo D'Agostino SJ, Requiescat in pace.

True charity, yet again.

Nyumbani Children's Home founder Fr Angelo D'Agostino has died.

The home founded in 1992 is famous for the care of abandoned HIV-positive children.

Fr D'Agostino, 80, died from cardiac arrest yesterday at Karen Hospital.

His personal assistant, Mr Simon Gachoki, said yesterday the Jesuit priest had been taken ill three days before the surgery.

"Fr D'Agostino passed way at 2.50pm at the Karen Hospital as a result of cardiac arrest following a surgery on Saturday. We will give more information later," Mr Gachoki said by telephone.

President Kibaki was among those who mourned the priest. He described Fr D'Agostino as a "great Christian who worked diligently in serving vulnerable members of society and propagating the Christian faith."

Fr D'Agostino, who was also the medical director for the home, was a crusader for the rights of the infected children. He went to court after public schools declined to admit children from the home, following the introduction of the free primary education.

The priest joined priesthood in 1955 after two years as a surgeon with the US Air Force and moved to Kenya in 1987 where he continued with his work as a priest. He set up the children's home in 1992. Other countries where he has worked in Africa include Sudan, Ethiopia, Zaire and Tanzania.

Fr D'Agostino graduated with a doctor of medicine degree from Tufts School of Medicine in 1949 and a masters degree in surgery from the university's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 1953.

Besides the home, D'Agostino run a community programme, Lea Toto, where HIV positive children get help. (Thanks to AllAfrica.com for this obituary.)

Wow. A Requiem Mass? We still do those?

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation: President and First Lady attend Father D'Agostino's requiem mass
President Mwai Kibaki and First Lady Lucy Kibaki Monday joined other mourners for the requiem mass for Rev. Father Angelo D' Agostino at the Consolata Shrine Catholic Church in Westlands, Nairobi.