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

My vocation journey started when I was in the second grade. Our teacher, a Benedictine nun, would read to us about fifteen minutes every afternoon, usually from the life of one of the saints, I was particularly impressed by one story, “Mangled Hands”, the story of the North American martyrs Isaac Jogues and his companions. It was at that time that I resolved to become a missioner, maybe even a martyr. That idea was put on the back burner for a number of years and was only revived years later when a cousin and a close friend entered the Maryknoll Society as a Brother. At that time I was only twenty-three years old and was living a sort of aimless life without any particular goals. I was most interested in studying for the priesthood, but after some serious reflection I thought I would be much better suited for the life of a Brother. Looking back on my life I can now see what a fortuitous choice that was. My personality would be a serious impediment to a role as an evangelizer and since I am mechanically inclined and enjoy working with my hands I am much better suited for my role as a Brother. And so in the year 1954 I applied for and was accepted as a candidate for the Maryknoll Brothers.

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

My ambition of course was to be assigned to the mission with a preference for Bolivia or Africa. But because of my mechanical expertise and the great need of the Society for men who were capable to work in the U.S in the house of training and other facilities. I was sent to trade school to improve my talents in maintenance and building skills. So I spent two years studying electricity, auto mechanics, welding etc. For the next thirty years I worked in the heating and maintenance fields in various school and houses of training run by the Society. Then in 1987 I was finally given a mission assignment to work with Father Arthur Wille in the Diocese of Musoma Tanzania. Father was helping the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa to build and operate a dairy farm as a source of income to support their community. The Immaculate Heart Sisters is a local community started by another Maryknoll Father, Monsignor Grondin, with the help of the Maryknoll Sisters. I have been with the Sisters for the past thirteen years. The work I do is much the same as I did for so many years in America. I also teach the Sisters and some of their workers the fundamentals of mechanics and other useful trades. Tanzania is still a developing country and skilled tradesmen are in short supply.

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?

Living in Africa with Africans has been a really wonderful experience for me. The Africans are a very hospitable and family oriented people. The pace of life here is slower and unhurried. The people are happy in spite of, in some cases extreme poverty. Working with the people and especially with the Sisters has its joyous moments as well as times of frustration. I believe the most striking thing I have experienced is that the Sisters have taught me the meaning of love.

John's Ministry             John's Biography

Visit the Maryknollers Currently in Musoma, Tanzania