By Mary Grieco
Catholic Herald correspondent

Missionary brings Tanzanian guest

RHINELANDER -- This is turning out to be a memorable summer for Stefano Isidory. When Maryknoll missioner Fr. Paul Fagan makes his annual trip to the United States from Tanzania he usually travels alone. This year, however, he invited Isidory to come with him.

A first-time visitor to America, Isidory is the general manager of Fagan's parish in Old Maswa.

"He has worked so hard for so many years in the front lines," said Fagan. "I have been very close to his family and have known him since he was 5 years old. This is sort of a thank you for all he has done, and I wanted someone to come and take the message back about the wonderful people here."

Being exposed to life in the United States is an experience of a lifetime for Isidory, and he will have many stories to tell his wife and five children when he returns in September.

He marvels at the number and quality of roads and cars he is seeing, and he is particularly impressed by the "wonderful motorcycles." He also says that the dense forests are a sight he's never before seen. But above all, he notes that the most lasting memory he will take with him is that "people here are full of kindness."

During a stop to renew acquaintances at St. Joseph Parish, Fagan introduced Isidory, who spoke to the congregation using well his knowledge of English which he learned in school about 20 years ago.

Fagan has been making annual visits to St. Joseph since 1974, and he excitedly told how his bishop recently gave him permission to continue work to establish a new parish in Nkololo, about 14 miles from Old Maswa. A church has already been built in Nkololo, as well as a dispensary, mother/child health clinic, maternity and inpatient wards and facilities for parish gatherings and classes.

For the past 41 years Fagan has been in Tanzania, and during that time he not only has ministered to the spiritual needs of the people, but also has worked side-by-side with them in meeting their everyday physical needs for better medical care, education, nutrition and roads. Education has always been a major focus, and he continues to ask for financial help in giving more students an opportunity to advance in their studies.

Fagan says that perhaps the biggest challenge in his ministry is meeting the needs of a parish that covers over 1,200 square miles. "Because of that we started to develop centers, which was a new idea," he noted. There are now three main centers, and each has several outstations in surrounding villages which are primarily served by lay ministers and Sisters.

Isidory is instrumental in the work at both Old Maswa and Nkololo, and he is putting his many years of experience in the parish as well as his computer skills to good use. He says he is grateful for the opportunity to work with Fagan on the many programs he has initiated.

The Catholic Church in Old Maswa and the surrounding area has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, and celebrations go hand-in-hand with the life of the church. It's not uncommon for Masses, particularly on feast days, to last three hours or more as everyone joins in song and dance. If last year's number of baptisms is an indication, the future of the church in this part of Tanzania is very bright. The three centers celebrated a total of 1,920 baptisms in 2000.

(Anyone interested in supporting the work of Fr. Paul Fagan may contact him through September at 1015 S. 14th St., Prairie du Chien, Wis., 53821, or e-mail at pfagan@mhtc.net.)

< Local Archives

© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001