By Penny Wiegert, Editor
GALENA—The Missionaries of Faith religious order of priests will begin serving the Rockford Diocese on July 1. Three priests from the order will live in community here with two being assigned pastoral administration for parishes in East Dubuque, Galena, Menominee and Scales Mound, while they are assisted by the third.
The Missionaries of Faith was founded in 1982 as a result of inspiration of Anna Maria Andreani, a secular Carmelite tertiary. She began the order to help priests in crisis with a lifestyle of deep faith and fraternal reception. According to the order’s website the name “Missionaries of Faith expresses the nascent charisma and the peculiar spirituality that rapidly opened to a wider horizon, either geographically or in the field of pastoral duties.”
That charism — according to the religious superior of the Missionaries of Faith North American Delegation located in Waco, Texas, Father Carlo Benjamin Magnaye — has expanded to serve all people of faith with emphasis on those separated from the Church, especially young people. Father Benji, as he is called, said the uniqueness of the culture and diversity of the Missionaries of Faith help them bring a special enrichment to pastoral care in the U.S.
The order is comprised of priests from Central America, India, Italy, Mynamar, Samoa, Philippines and Vietnam. Twenty-two of the Missionaries of Faith currently serve in the U.S. The congregation’s motto is “Gratia et Gaudium in Fide” (Grace and Joy in Faith).
“This year is our 25th anniversary of serving in the U.S., and it is a special gift for us on this occasion to now bring our service to the Rockford Diocese,” Father Benji said.
Coming here from Missionaries of Faith are Fathers Bosco Aruldoss, Robert Chinnappan and Hai Nguyen.
Father Bosco Aruldoss, MF, will become parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish, East Dubuque and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Menominee on July 1.
Father Bosco was born in India in 1982 and made his first profession to the Missionaries of Faith in 2006 and solemn profession in 2013. He was ordained a priest June 15, 2014. In addition to serving as pastor of a parish in India, he has experience as a school principal, vice rector and administrator of the Missionaries of Faith seminaries in India.
Father Robert Chinnappan, MF, will serve as parochial administrator of St. Mary and St. Michael parishes in Galena as well as Holy Trinity Parish in Scales Mound effective
July 1.
Father Robert, also a native of India, was born in 1978 and made his first profession of vows in 2001 with his solemn profession taking place in 2006. He was ordained a priest in 2007. He has served as provincial secretary and rector of the Missionaries of Faith Formation House in India. He has served as pastor and administrator of several parishes both in India and the United States, most recently serving as administrator of parishes in Mackville and Freedom, Wisconsin.
Because community is an important part of their charism, the priests will be joined and assisted in pastoral ministry to all the parishes by Father Hai Nguyen. He will reside at St. Michael rectory in Galena.
Father Hai was born in 1980 in Vietnam. He entered the novitiate of the Missionaries of Faith in 2004, and made his first vows in 2006. He made his final vows in 2015 and was ordained a priest in 2022. He has served as a hospital chaplain in Texas and California and assisted at several parishes in Texas.
The Vicar for Clergy and Religious, Msgr. Steve Knox, told The Observer that he is very grateful to have this new order serving the Rockford Diocese.
“There was an era in the not-too-distant past when the Church in the United States sent numerous missionaries to countries in Africa, Asia, South America and many other lands where there was a need for priests and women religious. Now many of those countries are returning the favor!” Msgr. Knox said.
He went on to explain that because of the overall shortage of priests in the U.S., many parishes would be “without the sacraments and ministry leadership if it weren’t for these international priests who generously share their priestly ministry with us. Some are here for a short period of time and then return to their homelands, while others are received into various dioceses and remain there to serve the people of that region. It’s not easy to leave your family and your homeland, so we are very grateful for these missionaries who love the Lord and His Church.”
Msgr. Knox asks all diocesan Catholics to “Please pray for these priests and be gracious to them as they transition into their new ministries.”
