Welcoming African Catholics
By Msgr. Thomas P. Hadden
The theme for this issue of NC Catholics, “To harbor the harborless,” brings to mind the many immigrants who are coming among us are seeking a place of shelter. Among these immigrants are a growing number of Catholics from the various countries of Africa. During the study which Bishop Gossman commissioned for African American Ministry, we became aware of this trend, and proposed recruiting African priests for our diocese. We also changed our title to African Ancestry Ministry and Evangelization.
At present we are concentrating on the Triangle area, because the greatest number of Catholic Africans live there. The largest groups are from Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Congo, and Sudan. These people speak English and French, but their first languages are African, not dialects but fully formed languages.
Many of these immigrants have joined Protestant African churches which worship in their native languages. Those Catholic Africans who have remained loyal to their faith have joined parishes, but have missed music and Liturgy in their own languages. In response, African Ancestry has instituted two Masses monthly with music, Scripture readings, etc. in the languages of the people who attend. One is the second Sunday of the month at the Doggett Center in Raleigh, the other the Third Sunday at Sacred Heart Cathedral. There is also the opportunity after Mass to socialize.
Bishop Burbidge celebrated a Mass for Africans on October 22 at Our Lady of Lourdes. He welcomed them to the diocese and expressed the commitment of the diocese to their inclusion and well being. He also affirmed the role of the Office of African Ancestry and Evangelization as one of his means of ministry to them.
There are three African priests who minister to English-speaking Africans. Fr. Pius Wakesa from Kenya , a student at NC State University, lives and helps
at the Cathedral. Father Alex Nakireru from Nigeria is a professor at Shaw University. And Father Joseph Ntuwa from Uganda is an intern in the Diocesan Communications Department, and helps at St. Mary in Garner and St. Mary in Goldsboro. Father Emmanuel Katongole from Uganda also lives in our diocese. He is a professor on the Theology Faculty of the Duke Divinity School.
We hope to recruit more African priests to serve our diocese as Parochial Vicars and Pastors. They can not only be of service to Africans but also help the diocese in its need for priests.