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international priests come to minister in the diocese of belleville

“There can be no Church without the Eucharist and there can be no Eucharist without priests.” This classic statement reminds us of the unique and indispensable role of priests in building Eucharistic communities in our parishes. In the United States today 30 percent of the priests serving in parishes come from other countries.

All of the popes back to Blessed John XXIII have urged the bishops of the world whose dioceses are blessed with many priests to allow some of their priests to serve in dioceses where they are needed.

Throughout the 120-year history of the Diocese of Belleville, there have always been international priests serving in pastoral ministry. Some, like Msgr. Hyacinth S. Mazuchowski, and Father Jerome H. Hibner, now retired, who came from Poland as members of the religious order Sons of Divine Providence (FDP), and Father Jose Ancheril, pastor of St. Paul Parish, Vienna and St. Francis De Sales Parish, Stonefort, who came from Kerala, India, were eventually incardinated in the diocese.

Father Peter Hsu, who was born in Jiang Yin, China, fled China before he came to the United States in 1950 and was ordained for this diocese in 1957, is now retired. Father Federico C. Higuera, who came to the diocese from Mexico, was ordained for the Diocese of Belleville in 1982. He is the pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Cobden and ministers to people of Hispanic background throughout southern Illinois.

Father Jose Jacob SMM, a Montfort Missionary, administrator of Immaculate Conception Parish, Madonnaville and St. Patrick Parish, Tipton, who came to the diocese in 2005, is from India and Father Lawrence Mariasoosai, OMI, administrator of Our Lady of Lourdes, Sparta, who came to our diocese in 2003 is from India.

After his installation two and one half years ago, Bishop Edward K. Braxton, seeing the urgent need to increase the number of priests in order to meet the pastoral needs of the diocese began an aggressive vocations program and a process of personally inviting priests from abroad who were highly recommended to him by their bishops and religious superiors to become missionaries to the Church of Belleville. So far, he has brought eight additional priests who are serving in parishes that might otherwise have no priests at all. Each of these priests lives at the Bishop’s Residence with Bishop Braxton for six to eight weeks of orientation before they are assigned. The bishop has asked The Messenger to introduce them to our readers.

Father John Agbasiere, SMMM, a member of the Sons of Mary Mother of Mercy order, who came to the Diocese of Belleville from the Diocese of Alexandria, Canada, is originally from Umuomaku, “a country town,” in eastern Nigeria. He has two brothers and two sisters. His father, now deceased, was a soldier during the war between Nigeria and Biafra, a southern state in Nigeria that seceded from the country for a time from 1967-1970. His mother is a farmer growing yams, corn and other vegetables.

Father Agbasiere discovered his vocation to the priesthood early in his life as an altar server. He is “very close” to his uncle, Father Zephrenus Uzor, who nurtured his calling. He has always had a love for the Catholic Church, a closeness to Christ and a love for his mother, Mary.

He attended the high school seminary but had to drop out because of the expense. “I started feeling again that I wanted to be a priest.” He returned to the seminary and after ordination, he served as rector of the minor seminary and parochial vicar at the cathedral parish.

As an order priest, he was asked to assist his provincial in Canada. Later, he asked his regional superior “to continue my journey in the United States.”

Father Agbasiere “always longed to serve the Church in the United States. I thought of a people who are welcoming, and my opinion still holds.”

He is administrator of St. Patrick Parish in Cairo, St. Mary Parish in Mound City and St. Catherine Parish in Grand Chain where he has placed a special emphasis on devotion to the Eucharist and visiting the homebound.
He thinks of his family and friends daily. Yet, he feels called to make this sacrifice. He is happy to be here. “The people live as families. They come from different cities, but you wouldn’t know it because they get along really well,” he said. “I enjoy my ministry so much.”

Father Michael Mbonu is a priest of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria. He is one of four priests loaned to the diocese by Archbishop Valerian Okeke, who has known Bishop Braxton for many years.

He is from Awka-Etiti, a large, semi-urban town in eastern Nigeria. He has five brothers and three sisters. Both of his parents, one sister and one brother are deceased.

Father Mbonu said he became aware of the priesthood “as a very little child.” His sister took him to daily Mass when he was 6, and he became interested in joining the altar servers.

“I was attracted to the priest in our town — the way he celebrated Mass with such love and respect for the liturgy,” he said.

He wanted to go to the seminary but his parents were skeptical at first. “However, when they saw my seriousness, they supported me. The journey continued for a long while,” he said. “I had so much love for the priesthood, and so many things happened during that time, I knew I was called.”

The opportunity to celebrate the sacraments and the intimacy with Christ in the Mass and in serving his people is at the heart of his ministry.

Father Mbonu is co-administrator at St. Mary Parish in Centralia, and sacramental minister at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Kinmundy, St. Theresa of Avila Parish in Salem and at St. Lawrence Parish in Sandoval.

“As you would expect, it is difficult to be so far away from all of the people in my native Nigeria, I know I have their support during my missionary service caring for the good people of southern Illinois.”

When he arrived in the United States, he noticed that “everything works, all of the facilities that help for a normal life” — the roads, the utilities, even the government. “People are doing their jobs,” he said.

At the same time, he notices that Americans can be very busy. It may be a challenge for them to devote time to their faith.

Father Christopher Mugisa-Mujule is a priest of the Diocese of Hoima, Uganda. He is old enough to remember the great suffering of his people under the rule of Idi Amin Dada. He was born in Kampala, the country’s capital city but moved to Hoima at the age of 4. While Hoima is a rural town, oil was discovered near there about two years ago, and Father Mujule expects many changes there as people living on subsistence farming become part of a highly industrialized area.

He has three brothers and three sisters. His father, a papal knight, died in 1997 and his mother died in 2001. His sister, Grace, died last February. Unfortunately, circumstances prevented him from going home to celebrate her funeral.

Inspired by his parents, Father Mujule said he became interested in the priesthood in elementary school when he met Holy Cross missionaries. He went to the seminary 120 miles from his home and was almost not accepted because they said he was too young. Eventually convinced of his desire to go to the seminary, he was accepted. With a special dispensation, he was ordained at the age of 23.

He received a scholarship from the Holy Cross Fathers in 1983 and went to Portland, Oregon to study for a master’s degree in education. Returning to Uganda, he became a teacher and seminary rector. He wanted “to go to the country and work in the villages,” he said, and was able to do that for 16 years. “The simple life of the people was a great inspiration to me.”

Although he misses the lively liturgies and vitality of the young Church in Africa, he “always wanted to be a missionary with people other than my own.” He appreciated the presence of a chapel and the Blessed Sacrament during his time at the Bishop’s Residence. Those weeks gave him the opportunity for many hours of prayer in the presence of the Lord which strengthened him for his missionary service.

Father Mujule is temporary administrator at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Metropolis and assistant at other South Deanery parishes. He was struck by the large size of this diocese “with few priests and many parishes. It made me want to respond,” he said.

Father Ignatius Okonkwo, a priest of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, comes from Umunnachi in eastern Nigeria, a town made up of five villages.

He has two brothers and one sister. His father, who died some years ago, and his mother maintained a farm. She continues to raise yams, cassava, corn, tomatoes, beans and other vegetables.

Father Okonkwo was inspired in his vocation through his family, the parish priest and a friend.

He enjoys playing tennis and he won the trophy at the priests’ tennis match during his first year here. He misses everything about his home life very much. However, he is grateful to Archbishop Okeke for giving him the opportunity to serve in an area that has such a need for priests. He is pleased with the warm welcome he has received in this diocese from Bishop Braxton and the kindness and Christ-centered faith of the people he is serving.

“The orientation I received at the beginning helped me to understand some of the things that might have surprised me if they had not been explained in advance. I believe I am making a contribution to the work of Christ and I am being enriched as well.”

Father Okonkwo is administrator at St. Mary Parish in Eldorado, St. Joseph Parish in Elizabethtown and St. Mary Parish in Harrisburg.

Father Patrick Okwumuo, a priest of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, comes from Akwu-ukwu in eastern Nigeria. The town is about 10 miles from Onitsha.

He has two brothers and one sister. His father is a retired printer, and his mother taught elementary school. His parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 29, 2007. While visa complications prevented him from going home for this major family event, he feels a special closeness to them.

A priest of Onitsha, Father Anthony Igweagu, impressed Father Okwumuo when Father Igweagu was a seminarian. “He was very committed in his work as a seminarian,” Father Okwumuo said, and it inspired him in his own desire to be a priest.

Father Okwumuo maintains regular contact with his family, fellow priests and friends through the telephone and the internet. They know they are always in his heart.

Coming to this diocese, he said he was impressed by the universality and unity of the Church. “It is one,” he said. “I thought it would be completely different here, but it wasn’t. Though there are real differences, it is the same Catholic Church.” He has particularly enjoyed “the Wisdom Community” — Bishop Braxton’s quarterly meetings for recently ordained and international priests. “We pray together, reflect on our service to God’s people as priests, and discuss interesting theological readings and have lunch with the bishop.”

Father Okwumuo is administrator of St. Stephen Parish in Flora and sacramental minister to St. Theresa of Avila School in Salem.

Father Justin Olisaemeka, a priest of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, comes from Obosi, a commercial city in eastern Nigeria. He has five brothers and two sisters. The death of his father, who was head of an elementary school drew him even closer to his family. His mother, who studied to be a teacher, maintains a grocery store.

Father Olisaemeka said his father worked closely with the white missionaries and was active in the parish. “He was secretary of many parish committees. As a result, I was always close to the Church and to priests.” His older brother, Father Lawrence Olisaemeka, already in the seminary, was a great encouragement to his vocation as was his sister, Sister Angela Olisaemeka of the Congregation of University Sisters of the Assumption. She is presently studying for her master’s degree.

Father Olisaemeka misses his family and “old friends” and the “lively, fast growing church” in Africa very much. However he was happy to respond when his archbishop asked him to come to Belleville. “Serving the Church in a “completely different” world teaches you something about what the Church is all about and the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in all of our lives.”

He is co-administrator at St. Mary Parish in Centralia and sacramental minister at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Kinmundy, St. Theresa of Avila Parish in Salem and St. Lawrence Parish in Sandoval.

“The people have been very welcoming here,” he said. “They have a deep-rooted faith.”

Father Urban Osuji, CM (Congregation of the Mission), a Vincentian priest from the Province of Enugu, comes from Lagos, the former capital of Nigeria. He is the former provincial of his order. He has six brothers and one sister. His late father worked for the government, and his mother is an elementary school teacher.

Father Osuji, the most recent arrival of our international priests, is very familiar with the United States. He served in parish ministry in the Archdiocese of Detroit and as a chaplain for the Dominican sisters in Oxford, Mich. He studied pastoral theology at St. Louis University and at Loyola University in Chicago, earning a master’s degree in theology.
Father Osuji’s parents were a major inspiration in his discernment to become a priest. “They loved the Church and encouraged me when I was thinking of going to go to the seminary. Their prayers helped me to succeed.”

When he flew to the United States for the first time some years ago, Father Osuji noticed “the network of roads — good roads, big roads.” There is a great need for better roads in Nigeria and he hopes that the government will use the oil wealth to build them and provide other improvements.

Following the example of St. Vincent de Paul, founder of his order, Father Osuji is deeply committed to the work of evangelization and helping people “put on Christ.”

Bishop Braxton appointed Father Osuji Jan. 1 as temporary administrator of St. Mary Parish in Valmeyer and chaplain at Gibault Catholic High School.

Father Victor Silva, a priest of the Archdiocese of Columbo, Sri Lanka, who has been serving as chaplain at the Newman Center at SIU in Carbondale and in pastoral ministry at Holy Spirit Parish in Carterville for the past two years, is visiting his family. His profile will appear after he returns to the diocese.

“Our diocese is blessed to have these unselfish priests serving in our midst,” Bishop Braxton said. “We should all look for opportunities to welcome them and express our gratitude. We and they benefit from this experience of the true catholicity of the Church.”

Bishop Braxton has asked each of these priests to join him and the priests and people of the diocese in working and praying for an increase in vocations to the priesthood from our own communities. In the meantime he is working to secure additional international priests.

Last year he recruited three international seminarians from Kenya. Mr. Francis Miana, Mr. Joseph Oganda, and Mr. Anthony Onyango are studying to be priests for this diocese at Kenrick- Glennon Seminary in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

They are very concerned about their families at home because of the bloody turmoil caused by the recent controversial re-election of President Mwai Kibaki who had been widely expected to be defeated by opposition leader, Raila Odinga in a “free and fair” election.

Reflecting on international priests in his Pastoral Letter, “We Are His Witnesses” the Bishop wrote, “These good priests are not in any sense “foreign” priests: they are welcome brother priests. Since in Christ their is no north or south or east or west, the fraternity of the worldwide priesthood is one.”