Blessed by Diversity
The Church in the Diocese of Raleigh is impacted by the immigration of Catholics into our Diocese, and the Church has grown significantly from this immigration.
We are blessed with immigrants from Spanish speaking countries, from Vietnam, Korea and Africa, including in the Triangle good numbers from Congo, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. The Diocese of Raleigh has welcomed these brothers and sisters in the faith by providing liturgies that recognize and affirm their cultures. The Diocese of Raleigh has also invited and welcomed priests from these countries to help in this ministry and the broader ministry of the diocese.
At present the Diocese of Raleigh has priests from the African countries of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. There are Masses celebrated monthly for the communities using their language and music.
Father Pius Wekesa of Kenya, a student at North Carolina State University, celebrates Mass for the Kenyan Community and for other Africans monthly at the Doggett Center, the Catholic Student Center at NCSU. The Ordinary parts of the Liturgy are in English, the music is in Swahili and other African languages. Father Wekesa regularly helps with the Masses at Sacred Heart Cathedral where he is in residence.
Father Alex Nakireru from Nigeria has been in our Diocese for over twenty years.
He has been a professor at Fayetteville State University, and has also helped regularly at St Ann Parish in Fayetteville. At present he is a professor at Shaw University in Raleigh. He celebrates a monthly Mass for the Nigerian Community at the Cathedral.
The Parish of St. Michael in Cary has Father Charles Lugenda of Uganda as Parochial Vicar. Father Emmanuel Katangole of Uganda is a Tenured Professor at the Duke Divinity School, and he helps regularly at St. Thomas More Parish in Chapel Hill.
Fr.Camillus Ugwu visits monthly from Baltimore and celebrates the Liturgy in the Igbo language of Nigeria at St. Joseph Parish in Raleigh. The parishes of St. Mary in Goldsboro and St. Mary in Garner share the ministry of Father Roger Malonda Nyimi from Congo.
See how we are blessed with this marvelous demonstration of the catholicity and diversity of Holy Mother Church!
- Msgr. Thomas P. Hadden