ONCE A MISSIONARY, ALWAYS A MISSIONARY?

MY PAST PREPARED ME FOR MY FUTURE 

In grade school, I helped "adopt pagan babies," a popular program for children in Catholic schools, whereby they brought their pennies to school to help "adopt" a poor child in mission areas and help prepare them for baptism. Some of you might remember this program.

In high school seminary, I made rosaries to send to "the missions." I learned that I could really turn them out! I know I made hundreds of them as a high schooler. 

In college seminary, I was a member (and once an officer) of the the Catholic Students Mission Crusade. I was reminded of that fact in this old photo of me from 1965 when I was a third year college seminarian at Saint Meinrad Seminary. I am wearing my first cassock and I have my official CSMC ribbon and membership medal around my neck. 

                 

As a theology level seminarian, I thought about joining the Glenmary Home Missioners order of priests and brothers. I decided against it, but as a newly ordained priest, I was actually assigned to the "home missions" of our archdiocese for my first ten years.  

As a retired priest, I have been a volunteer in the "foreign missions" of the Caribbean in the countries of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago.  I have also volunteered to do workshops for priests and bishops in Saint Lucia, The Bahamas and the Antilles Episcopal Conference. 

MY LATEST MISSION PROJECT IN KENYA 

This past Sunday my latest mission project, St. Veronica Church in the east African country of Kenya, was dedicated. Father John Judie, one of our local retired priests who volunteers in Tanzania, represented me and my ten or so co-sponsors at this wonderful event. The local people keep calling it a "miracle." I concur because it turned out to be three-times bigger and three-times more costly than I had counted on when I agreed to take it on! I call it a "miracle" because of the fact that if I had known what I was getting into, I may not have agreed to start the project! Like my other mission projects, I did not come right out and ask people for money, I simply told people what was I was doing and they called me offering their help. Together, we performed this "miracle" because we believed it was possible and, with God's help, it all came together quite quickly! 

This project has reinforced my belief, and the belief of those who have worked with me to complete it, in the power of faith to work miracles. The success of this project makes all of us a bit happier knowing we made a village of poor people on the other side of the world a lot happier. As Pope Francis famously said, "Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves.  Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is....life is good when you are happy; but much better when others are happy because of you."             

ORIGINAL ST. VERONICA CHURCH 

Mr. Julius and Sister Stephen, son and daughter of Veronica Kitili, after whom the church is named. 

Mr. Julius Kitili, who lives in Nairobi, oversaw the construction of the new St. Veronica Church.

Sister Stephen, a local Little Sister of the Poor here in Louisville, planted the idea in my mind. 

 PRESENT ST. VERONICA CHURCH AS IT LOOKED ON AUGUST 7, 2025 WITH BELL TOWER 

ONE OF TWO SIGNS LEADING TO THE CHURCH

THE ALTAR CHAIRS AND SIDE TABLES READY TO BE INSTALLED

SOME OF THE 86 PEWS WAITING TO BE INSTALLED IN THE CHURCH

BEGINNING TO GATHER FOR THE CELEBRATION

WAITING TO GET IN FOR THE DEDICATION

A FULL HOUSE FOR SURE

A FULL HOUSE WITH REGIONAL GOVERNMENT DIGNITERIES IN FRONT ROW

ONE MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENT WAS AMONG THE GROUP

MR. JULIUS KITILI, SON OF VERONICA KITILI, AND VOLUNTEER PROJECT MANAGER

LOCAL CHOIR AND MUSICIANS - SEE VIDEO AT BOTTOM FOR DANCING CHILDREN

(CENTER) SISTER STEPHEN, OUR LOCAL LOUISVILLE LITTLE SISTER OF THE POOR AND DAUGHTER OF VERONICA KITILI, AND TWO LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR FROM NAIROBI, KENYA. 

(CENTER) OUR LOCAL LOUISVILLIAN, FATHER JOHN JUDIE, LED THE CELEBRATION OF THE MASS AND PREACHED.

ON THE LEFT IS THE PASTOR, FATHER BENEDICT MUTINDA. ON THE RIGHT IS A VISITING PRIEST OF THE MUCHAKOS DIOCESE.  

THE RECEPTION AFTERWARDS

ONE BULL AND TWENTY CHICKENS WERE SERVED

LIVE-STREAM LINK TO THE DEDICATION CEREMONY

and

COMMUNITY CELEBRATION 

The video begins with a tree planting, door opening, Mass and community meal of celebration. This video is four hours long. The Catholic Church in Africa takes its time for celebrations of the Eucharist, especially on special occasions. 

Click here to view the video.