Dear Friends,

The day was July 20th, 1991, and the place was the Immaculate Conception Spiritual Center of my diocese in Kongo. The grass was green, complementing the beauty of the ordination grounds. Thousands of people, colorfully dressed from all parts of the diocese and country, testified to the faith, joy, and gratitude of a people for the gift of six young men to be ordained into the Catholic priesthood. Several choirs, drummers, and dancers ensured that the celebration was lively and joyous to the glory of God. As my mother, Victoria, and my father, Asigre, walked on either side of me to present me to the Most Reverend Rudolf Akanlu, my ordaining bishop, my heart and mind were settled on God’s plan for my life from my mother’s womb (Isaiah 49:1) — a call to which my response has always been, “Here I am, Lord; I have come to do your will” (Hebrews 10:9).

These 35 years of my priesthood have been nothing but a testament of God’s superabundant love and mercy toward such an unworthy vessel as me, chosen to bring his love and mercy to his people through priestly life and ministry. I am extremely grateful to God for the countless good people who have been a blessing and support to me all these years. From my parents and grandmother, I first came to know that I was deeply loved by God. I learned that the two children who preceded me in birth also preceded me in infant mortality. I lived because of God’s mercy, design, and purpose. Naming me at birth Atanga, after a rock, was my family’s move to exorcise the evil spirits understood to have caused the death of the children who preceded me. I lived, and God certainly had a plan for my life, and my response has always been, “Here I am; I have come to do your will” (Hebrews 10:9). Even before I came to know Christ, my parents instilled in me a belief at the heart of Jesus’ teaching that has served me well in all my 35 years of priestly life: greatness in life comes from sacrifice and from spending one’s life in humble service of the neighbor.

I have also been guided in these 35 years by St. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:22. However imperfectly, I have always aimed at “becoming all things to all men, to save some.” This has been literally true in my priestly life. I have driven snake-bitten people, the sick, and women in labor to hospitals, always offering spiritual and financial support so as to save lives and souls. With the generous donations and support of many people and Church organizations — including the Knights of Columbus, Holy Trinity Council #3413, the Joy in the Spirit Prayer Group of Severna Park, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Severna Park — I have built schools, a library, a hospital for mother and child, a Catholic chaplaincy, and churches, and so have also been a contractor. I have provided safe drinking water for rural communities by drilling boreholes.

By far the most fulfilling part of my life as a priest, however, is anchored in my celebration of the most holy sacraments of the Church. It has been my main source of strength and joy to celebrate the Holy Mass and to bring people into contact with Jesus in the most intimate way. In my hospital visits, I have always sought to be the face of Jesus, bringing to patients and staff Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, and anointing the sick to bring them healing and comfort. Here I have found deep faith and joy, but also, like my Master Jesus, I have suffered disappointment and sadness in rejection and sometimes outright verbal abuse. I consider it a privilege and an honor to have shared in the lives and deep personal stories of parishioners’ faith and struggles in their most intimate and vulnerable moments — such as in the confessional and during bereavement.

Looking back at these 35 years, I see not just my failures and mistakes, but also how, through it all, God’s mercy has always been present. As I look ahead toward the twilight years of my active ministry, I resolve to remain ever more committed and devoted to my vocation. My deepest gratitude goes out to all the wonderful people God has put in my life as a blessing and support. Without their financial and spiritual support, my ministry would have had less impact and fewer success stories to tell. My heart goes out to my friends and parishioners of St. Augustine Catholic Parish, Seymour, CT; St. John the Evangelist Parish, Severna Park; St. Joseph Parish, Old Mission, Fremont, California; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ellicott City. To my deceased friends, Charles Blackwell of Royston, UK, and Rev. Brian E. Jeffries of CT, may you rest eternally in peace with the God who loved you so dearly.

My diocese is still growing and in need of safe and sacred spaces to grow the faith. As a particular fruit of my 35th anniversary celebration, I resolve, with your support, to spend the strength and years ahead of me to build at least one more church and a school in my home diocese. I welcome your financial support to bring these important projects to realization.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY – Regina Caeli Academy invites you to consider a role that blends faith, learning, and community. If you have ever wondered how your gifts may serve the Church, this might be your moment. Local centers are hiring now. What we offer: Top-Tier Classical Curriculum, Part-Time Positions, Faithful Catholic Environment, and a Mission that Matters. Come see what positions are open. Visit rcahybrid.org/employment to learn more.

ENCOUNTER SCHOOL OF MINISTRY SUMMER INTENSIVE is being offered on July 27–30th, 6–9 PM. Mother of God Community, 20501 Goshen Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20879. Come and grow in your identity as a beloved child of God. This program enables attendees to experience the power of the Holy Spirit, with a curriculum vetted by top-notch Catholic theologians and scholars. Each teaching is followed by exercises designed to help you hear and respond to God in the depths of your heart. The transformation experienced from encountering Jesus propels us to be disciples and heralds of the New Evangelization. The four evenings introduce the first year of the 2-year Encounter School of Ministry: Identity, Prophecy, Inner Healing, and Freedom. Come with expectant faith that Jesus makes all things new. Register before July 1 for 20% off: encounterdc.regfox.com/encounter-dc-summer-intensive-2026

IGNATIUS SPIRITUAL EXERCISES – Loyola University’s Office of Mission Integration is offering the greater Baltimore community the opportunity to pray the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola during the 2026–27 academic year. Over the past nine years, over 300 people have availed themselves of this opportunity. Our approach will be one that Ignatius himself proposed for busy people — a way to make a prayerful and potentially transformative retreat in everyday life. Over the course of nine months of daily prayer with Scripture, journaling, and regular conversation with a guide, one can experience the same graced movements and discoveries that a privileged few get to make in 30 days of secluded silence. Please attend our Zoom Information Session on Tuesday, August 25th at 7:00 pm. Contact sue-cesare@dexterco.com or sspahn@loyola.edu for more information.

MARY’S HOME MARYLAND IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS – Whether you have skills, knowledge, time, or fellowship to share, Mary’s Home needs you! Opportunities in babysitting, financial mentorship, transportation, cleaning, organizing, and more are available. Reach out to Mary’s Home at info@maryshomemaryland.org. Mary’s Home Maryland empowers expectant mothers and their children in crisis by providing a safe home, supportive community, and holistic accompaniment on their journey toward family stability.

O’DWYER GOLF TOURNAMENT – The 2026 Annual Golf Tournament benefitting O’Dwyer Retreat Center will be held on Friday, September 11, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at The Woodlands Golf Course, 2309 Ridge Road, Windsor Mill, MD 21244. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, select drinks, and 18 holes of golf on the beautiful Woodlands Golf Course, while helping support the mission and ministry of O’Dwyer Retreat Center. Take a break and spend a day away golfing with old friends, making new ones, and supporting a great cause. Call 410-472-2400, email odwyer@archbalt.org, or check the website for more info, to register, or to sponsor: odwyercenter.org/event/2026-golf-tournament.

ENCOUNTER JESUS – with the Children of Mary Sisters, held September 13–16, every night from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Manchester, MD (2930 Hanover Pike, Manchester, MD 21102). Every night there will be confessions, adoration, and an inspiring talk from these amazing, semi-contemplative sisters! For more information, email Jordan Taylor at jordan.taylor@archbalt.org.

UPCOMING CHANGES TO THE CONFESSION SCHEDULE – Please note the following updates to our regular Confession schedule. Summer Schedule ~ beginning July 1: Effective Wed. July 1, Monday noon and Tuesday evening Confessions will be suspended for the summer. All other times remain as scheduled.