What would you like to share about your background / history / motivation that brought you to mission in Africa?

An assignment, unsought, no previous desire, but willingly accepted as the will of Superiors in my regard and therefore the will of God.

In your own mind, what are some of the highlights of your missionary career in Africa, your successes, your adventures, your greatest joys?

1. Being here! It matters not the ministry, being here, realized from the first introduction to Tanzania, to Shinyanga. 2. Being permitted to return after the failed attempts at assignments in USA. 3. Greatest joy, being here… in the parishes, in the seminaries both major and minor, being Chancellor, Judicial Vicar. In a word being allowed to be here.

What are some of the insights gained through your life / perspective as an American Catholic missioner in Africa that you'd like to share with the world?

1. The realization that the vocation that was given had a history in my home town of Dayton, that the seed was planted years before my birth when the Catholic Students Mission Crusade held its national Meeting in 1920 (I believed was the date) at the University of Dayton and James A Walsh was there along with John Considine and my Mother-to-be was one of the young ladies who help serve at the table. I see in that a seed, for I always wondered how did Maryknoll come to be in Ohio, especially. in Dayton? In that Crusade is the answer. 2. The joy of being assigned, of accepting, of allowing the assignment to grow in me... no credit to me. Africa gets into the blood... and even an white man can learn to deeply love it.

Richard's Ministry             Richard's Biography             More of Richard's Reflections

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