ELLSWORTH—Bishop George Nkuo, bishop of the Diocese of Kumbo in Cameroon, is spending several days in Maine, giving him an opportunity to meet with the priests from his diocese who are serving as missionaries here.
“I want to get in touch with them, to accompany them, to let them share how they are settling in and how they find their ministry, and, also, to encourage them,” he said. “I came to visit them and to pray with them and to encourage them in their ministry here.”
Bishop Nkuo celebrated a morning Mass on Thursday, July 27, at St. Joseph Church in Ellsworth, with all the priests from the Diocese of Kumbo currently serving in Maine present. While two of them, Father Joseph Lukong and Father Sefembiy Justin, are parochial vicars at St. Joseph, others traveled from parishes across the state to be there.
“We are very, very happy to have our bishop here. It’s just like a pastoral visit for us and a wonderful reunion,” said Father Anthanasius Wirsiy, administrator of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish in Camden.
“It’s a big encouragement for us to see him here in the Portland Diocese, a missionary land for us now, coming to see how we are doing and to find out if we have any problems, but I don’t think that anybody has any problems. We are doing well here,” said Father Roland Berngeh, administrator of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Calais.
“I am just so happy that he could come and that all 10 priests who are here in the Diocese of Portland are able to meet him and, also, especially, with the number of people from various parishes who have come to join with us,” said Father Hyacinth Fornkwa, administrator of Holy Spirit Parish in Wells.
Even though the Mass was celebrated on a weekday morning, most of the pews in St. Joseph Church were filled for the occasion, some people traveling from other parish communities to attend, saying they wanted to show their support for the priests and to express their gratitude for their service.
“We love them, and we’re so grateful to have them here. Also, we wanted to thank the bishop for sending them because he really did send the finest,” said Boo Upton, who attends St. Vincent de Paul Church in Bucksport. “We’re just so appreciative.”
“We’re so grateful for the priests and all the blessings that they bring us. I think there is a special light. We all feel it,” said Tammy Proctor, who attends and serves at St. Joseph Church.
“These are truly men of God, and they are such bright lights, and we’re so happy to be able to celebrate with them,” said Gina Volkwein, who attends Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Belfast and in Bucksport.
“Way back, we had missionaries in my family who went to China and brought the word there, and now, we’re having missionaries come at this time, and it is just wonderful,” said Ed Volkwein, Gina’s husband.
In his homily, Bishop Nkuo explained that he isn’t sending the priests out as missionaries because he has too many but because of his own vocation story. He said he likely would not have been able to become a priest and then a bishop if it weren’t for a missionary priest who found someone to sponsor him when his family did not have the financial resources to allow him to attend seminary.
“My life was transformed and changed by a missionary, so if I have priests who go out on mission like they do, they will surely touch and transform other people’s lives and do something in people’s lives that will be even better than what happened to me in my life,” he said. “I call it payback time, paying back for what I received from others.”
Following the Mass at St. Joseph Church, the bishop, priests, and parishioners gathered in the parish hall for a breakfast. On Sunday, July 30, Bishop Nkuo will join Bishop Robert Deeley in celebrating a special Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Windham. During the Mass, Catholic Charities Maine’s Matthew 25 Award will be presented to the Social Justice and Peace ministry at St. Anthony of Padua Parish. The Mass begins at 10:15 a.m. and all are welcome.
