Ordinations, Final Oaths & New Maryknollers
For more than a hundred years a lot of men have walked through Maryknoll’s doors to join a society founded on the compassion of Jesus in reaching out to those who are most in need.
The ordination is one of the most important events in a priest’s life. This is when the bishop and fellow Maryknollers bless him. For a brother, however, it is the final oath that is life-changing for him. This is when he makes a life-long commitment to be in service for the Society.
Following their ordination to priesthood or final oath as brother, they receive their missionary crucifix at the Maryknoll Sending Ceremony. This ceremony presents the new priests and brothers to the world as Maryknoll missioners.
Meet our new priests who has recently joined a long line of missioners who have made the Maryknoll commitment.
Father
Charles Ogony
My vocation to priesthood goes way back to as early as 7-8 years old. The constant participation in our home chapel triggered my vocation. My brothers and I were in charge of ringing the bell every Sunday morning to let people know that the service would be at the chapel. This dedication instilled in me contributed a lot to discerning my vocation. While preparing for catechism classes, our catechist would explain to us about vocations. He vividly described that catholic priests offer their whole lives for God’s service. They live a celibate life to serve the lord and spread the Gospel to the entire world. It was during this time that my parish became famous for producing the best catholic songs in Kenya. I felt more spirited to seek a priesthood vocation through the music calling us to go preach the Gospel to the whole world to make disciples “enendeni mkatangaza injili kwa mataifa yote”. I barely knew the difference between missionaries and diocesans. I just wanted to become a priest. A priest to serve God’s people with my life. At this early age, my father, Peter Ogony, and Catechist Mbuya helped me make a difference.
In the 10th grade, my zeal for priesthood grew more and more. I joined the altar servers at my parish, but they were too hostile, and I decided to retreat. After high school, I wanted to enter the diocesan seminary, but my father was very reluctant. He told me, “Charles, joining priesthood vocation with a degree certificate is very significant. I will only allow you to join seminary after your undergraduate if the vocation persists.” I heeded his advice and joined Kenyatta University. A week later, I joined a group of acolytes at Kenyatta University Catholic community. This gave me a chance to work closely with Fr. Lance Nadeau. He was a humble and an excellent listener, an honest servant of people. His sermons were directed to the real lives of the students. He never stood back when injustices were experienced on the campus. Through his way of life, a life of being a priest for the people, I felt that my call to missionary life. To be a priest who listens and journeys with the people. To be a pastor who not only listens to people but also responds to their urgent needs. While at the campus, I was sacristan and Eucharistic minister. It wasn’t until my final year at the campus that Fr. Lance, while serving at mass, asked me, “Charles, would you like to become a priest?” I reluctantly responded, “It is something I have been thinking about.” He told me, “Come to meet the superior general (Fr. Raymond Finch) who is coming in June as well as the vocation Director, Fr. Mike Snyder, and this is how I was introduced to Maryknoll and decided to stay.
Father
Joshua Mutende Maondo MM.
I grew up in a faithful Catholic family. My grandmother was the “custodian” of the faith and our first catechist for all of us. She taught us prayers, what happens in the church, how to recite the rosary and so on. It is common practice in Kenya that the older siblings will take care of the younger siblings in the church. I remember one Sunday, going to the church with my elder sisters. One of my sisters was a liturgical dancer, and I remember my other sister carrying me on her shoulders so that we could watch our sister dance. And I remember staring at my sister and at the altar servers. When the sign of peace came, one of the altar servers came to where we were and shook our hands. My sister looked at me and innocently said, “Those are the kids and the youth that want to become priests, they repeat everything that father says and does.” I just got mesmerized, and deep in my heart, I wanted to be like them. This is the earliest memory of having the sensation of the vocation to priesthood.
When I joined Kenyatta University, I got hooked with the mission spirit portrayed by Fr. Lance Nadeau, MM. His zeal for mission, a down to earth priest with the love for the people He served. And what flag did he carry? Maryknoll. Then I set my eyes on Maryknoll. One of my favorite mission stories happened in Bolivia during the pandemic lockdown when some families were experiencing anxiety, tensions, some people faced really bad abuse, and some families made a stronger bond. I remember the pastor I worked with looking for me with the words, “where are you? You are a missioner, these are the times that the world needs you more. You are not needed in your house; you are needed in the field.” He looked for a lockdown pass form me that would enable me to perambulate around even past curfew hours. During that week, there was a meeting to discuss how to carefully open places of worship and avoid the spread of the virus in Bolivia. I remember the archbishop of the diocese came, together with one auxiliary bishop, the vicar, who was the pastor was there, and a few leaders of other denominations were there, three lawyers, the mayor, a few doctors and other people. I went to the parish, oblivious of the meeting. During their break, the vicar approaches and asks me. “Joshua, you say in Kenya places of worship are open, and you have managed to control the spread of the virus, how? So, I explained to him, we have water points and hand sanitizers everywhere, the masses are four to six, where we used to have one or two, every pew must have three people or less, to maintain the six feet distance. Masks were mandatory and so on. The following day, during the evening news, we get to hear how the places of worship are opening, and the exact conditions I had suggested were the ones that were announced. I was filled with joy. I, a simple seminarian, from Africa, can have a voice in the entire nation. In addition, the vicar and the archbishop thanked me for my contribution.
Maryknoll ordinations through the decades
The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers have ordained more than 1,400 priests and given oaths to more than 225 brothers all through the years. That’s quite a number of men who have commited their lives to work in service among the poor and suffering around the world.
Every one of them had different experiences in their lives that made them come to realize that they have a calling to serve God and their fellowman. To choose to become a Maryknoller is even more special. They say goodbye to their families and friends to go to distant lands where the culture and language are different from their own.
Ordination officiated by Maryknoll co-founder, Bishop James A. Walsh, M.M.
To learn more about Maryknoll’s history visit Maryknoll Mission Archive website.
