My name is Father Richard O’Nyamwaro, AJ, a member of the Religious Missionary Institute of the Apostles of Jesus. I serve as the institute’s director of Mission Promotion. It is an honor to share with you a story in line with this year’s theme for World Mission Sunday: “Hearts on fire, feet on the move.”
The Institute of the Apostles of Jesus was founded in 1968 in Moroto, Uganda, by two Comboni missionaries: Bishop Sisto Mazzoldi, MCCJ, and Father John Marengoni, MCCJ. The two Italian missionaries served in Sudan and Uganda. Their zeal for souls was inspired by the motto of their founder, Bishop Daniel Comboni: “Africa or death.”
Despite the many challenges the missionaries faced, including life-threatening tropical diseases, nothing could deter them from evangelizing Africa. Their hearts were on fire, their feet on the move.
On Feb. 27, 1964, the Council of Ministers of the government of Sudan expelled all foreign missionaries from the country, including Bishop Mazzoldi and Father Marengoni.
They left Sudan in March 1964 and returned to Italy. While in Italy, their hearts were still on fire for the African missions. They explored ways of returning to east Africa, and within a short time they arrived in northern Uganda bordering South Sudan, where they had kept in touch with citizens there. They were still inspired by “Africa or death.”
In 1965, Bishop Mazzoldi and Father Marengoni relocated to northern Uganda. The bishop was given a new diocese of Moroto, and Father Marengoni was assigned to teach dogmatic theology, spirituality and the documents of the Second Vatican Council at Lacor Major Seminary in Gulu.
In 1967, while traveling from Morulem to Moroto, in northern Uganda, Bishop Mazzoldi and Father Marengoni discussed the need for Africa to have native missionaries. They sent a letter to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome, expressing their desires, giving a summary of their plan and asking for permission to start the institute.
They received approval, and on Aug. 22, 1968, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, the Religious Missionary Institute of the Apostles of Jesus, the first indigenous African religious missionaries for Africa and the world, was founded.
To date, about 500 Apostles of Jesus minister in Africa, Europe, Australia and the United States, carrying on the work started by their co-founders with “our hearts on fire, our feet on the move.”
On May 25, 2023, our institute lost a young missionary priest, Father Bernard Woniala, a native of Uganda. He was 44 years old, a priest for 10 years. At the time of his death, he was serving in Papua New Guinea. His dedication to ministry clearly demonstrated the World Mission Sunday theme.
Linda, who attends St. Monica Parish in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, and who had known Father Bernard during his summer visits to the parish, said the following after learning of his death:
“Father Bernard was a sweet and gentle man. He was a kind priest who lived his vocation faithfully and sincerely. It was obvious that he cared for the people he served, whether he knew them personally or not.
“He was conscientious in carrying out his ministry, serving God and the people in his midst, wherever he was sent to serve. His love for God showed strongly in his words, actions and demeanor. He touched many people’s hearts with God’s love.”
The Apostles of Jesus continue to embody “hearts on fire, feet on the move” by their physical and spiritual journey to share the message of love and hope through words, actions and life. We are grateful to the diocese of Columbus for inviting us to minister here. With your support, our hearts will continue to be on fire, our feet on the move.
