AMECEA: One-on-one with a Diocesan Priest Nicknamed “Monk” Because of His Approach in Formation of Seminarians

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

After serving at Blessed Bakanja AMECEA College (BBAC) for ten years, and nurturing nearly 50 vocations of young men to the priesthood, Fr. Terry Omen Madrwa from the Catholic Diocese of Arua in Uganda, shares his experience in an exclusive interview with AMECEA Online, and what might have triggered being nicknamed a monk.

AMECEA Online: Tell us in brief, who is Fr. Terry?

Fr. Terry: I am a Diocesan priest of Arua in Uganda. I was Ordained on May 4, 1980, and have been a priest for 43 years. In October of the same year when I was ordained after working for about five months, I flew to South Sudan because of the civil war by the official Ugandan government and its armed wing the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), against several rebel groups. So, the parish where I was working then in the Northern part of the country was destabilized, (the Parish was closed and Christians returned after 6-7 years) and together with the Christians and another priest of the Comboni missionaries, we crossed the border to Juba after the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. Angelo Tarantino, the first Bishop of Arua Diocese, told us to follow our Christians who had crossed to South Sudan already.

Actually, I did not go to South Sudan as a fidei donum priest but as a refugee. Bishop Paride Taban (now Emeritus) welcomed us and I worked in one of the parishes in the Archdiocese of Juba for three years. When Torit Diocese was created I was then appointed to the minor seminary as the Vice Rector and later as the General spiritual director for three years. So, I stayed in South Sudan from 1980-1986.

In 1987, I left for studies in Canada. At that time my Bishop in Uganda told me that many people were still staying in the bush and pastoral work was restricted so I continued with my studies at St. Paul University, Canada, and specialized in Canon law. After three years of studies, I was appointed to work as a parish administrator in St. Paul parish, Canada then as a hospital chaplain. In 2004, there was already stability in Uganda and I came back to my diocese.

I was immediately appointed the General Spiritual Director from 2004 for Sts. Peter and Paul Minor Seminary in Arua diocese, where I worked for nine years until September 2013 when I got another appointment to serve as the General Spiritual Director of Blessed Bakanja AMECEA College (BBAC), in Kenya to help in the formation of young men aspiring to be priests.

AMECEA Online: You have been serving at Blessed Bakanja Seminary for 10 years how has the experience been for you?

Fr. Terry: The experience has been enriching. During this time, I have been able to meet people from various cultures and nationalities: (Those from the AMECEA region, South Africa, Rwanda, DRC Congo, name it). Meeting these people has elevated my spiritual way of looking at realities. I was not able to appreciate different cultures and backgrounds, I had a narrow-minded way of looking at things and I thought other cultures were primitive, this is now very different. I have overcome it and I respect and appreciate the beauty of having these cultures. In fact, my master’s in African study which dwelt on understanding cultures, opened my eyes and I learned that there is no best culture in the world. So, this is a great strength I have gained from this Bakanja seminary. I have felt at home and fulfilled and I can confidently say, that I have done what the Lord sent me to do.

So, as the scripture says, there is time for everything. I started well with a lot of energy, vigor, and strength but now the age is catching up so it is a time of change for me.

AMECEA Online: Besides Bakanja Seminary, you have also worked in other two seminaries within the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region, what would you count on as the fruits of your work?

Fr. Terry: I have worked for over 20 years as a formator. Here at Bakanja about 40-50 young men have been ordained to priesthood and are now working in various parishes across Eastern Africa and beyond. If I add with the other seminaries where I have served I think those I have formed could be over 100. Since formation is teamwork, the fruits I have realized so far are not personal efforts only, but what makes me grateful is seeing young men journey until they successfully reach the altar of God. This is the most joyous moment and makes me really happy. I therefore leave this place with profound memories that I have achieved something. I feel my energy has not gone in vain and I am satisfied with what I have done so far. I am grateful to God and I am willing to give myself 100% in my next pastoral life that I am yet to begin.

AMECEA Online: What has made you successful as a formator?

Fr. Terry: I would attribute this to when I was appointed to serve as a formator here in Bakanja. My appointment letter was given by the late Archbishop Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye who was the local ordinary of Lilongwe, Malawi. In his letter, he wrote, “Fr. You are most welcome to work in Blessed Bakanja AMECEA College and the Bishops have trust in you to work in this global community. You will therefore have to make some sacrifices for the good of this community of Bakanja and the good of the Church.” For me this has been the ringing bell, it was an endorsement. The moment I began my work in this seminary, I knew what I was going to do. I realized that I had to make the extra effort, that the work demands my availability, my sense of listening to the young people, and to listen attentively to meet their expectations for the good of the Church. I therefore made the sacrifice willingly and came to know that sacrifice leads to success. I have been able to listen to the young men attentively and share my own experiences as a lesson to them.

I know of a priest friend who had nicknamed me a monk because I was always present in the seminary even if others left to visit other places. To me, this was feedback that I was sacrificing for the good of the community and the Church, what I was requested to do in the appointment letter. Being in the formation house most of the time means that the sacrifice is for the good of the individuals and the Church.

Even if the seminarians are grownups, since they are in formation, they observe what the formators do. I understood this from the beginning and I wanted them to learn from my example so I had to be careful and to sacrifice. Therefore, the appointment letter of the late Archbishop Ziyaye was an eye-opener and I realized that a formator’s availability is a source of success in the formation of young people. I stay around for a reason and I respect the timetable of the seminary too.

AMECEA Online: Some Seminarians say if you cannot be formed by Fr. Terry then you cannot be a priest. What is your take on this?

Fr. Terry: Well, if that is what they say, I do not know their reason. I only know I have been available for them, I have been very honest with them and I correct them plainly but in a gentle way as I explain the situation. Besides, I give people a chance to correct something in case of a mistake since formation is not for angels but for human beings who are also prone to sin. I do believe that formation comes through the word of God. So, I cannot tell if the strategy I have been using could make them comment so. But I only have received feedback from some whom I have formed appreciating the corrections I made to them

AMECEA Online: After working in Bakanja for all these years, what would you say is Unique about the seminary?

Fr. Terry: Generally, I would say that the program of study here is done in a university setting, unlike most national seminaries which are exclusively for seminarians. Bakanja seminarians learn with other various groups in the society: the laity, religious men and women, and the youths which mix up together. Therefore, the exposure they receive is unique and this helps the young men when they are ordained to take their responsibilities and apostolate in a very aggressive manner. They are good in mobilization since they can interact well with various groups of people since meeting different cultures has shaped who they have become during their formation. This is not to undermine other national seminaries but there is just something unique when it comes to interaction with people from all walks of life. In addition to this is the interaction with other nationalities with very different backgrounds.

AMECEA Online: How have you managed to mold the seminarians who come from varied backgrounds and cultures?

Fr. Terry: In my spiritual conferences, I normally address some of the cultural issues and let the seminarians know that it is the love of God that has brought all of them together. So, I encourage them to treat each other with respect, and love and as brothers. I remind them that we all have the same goal to serve Christ. Besides, my strategy has been based on the word of God and the spiritual conferences to help me mold their lives.

AMECEA Online: What are some of the challenges you have faced as a formator?

Fr. Terry: In blessed Bakanja when I came there were only two formators and this was tedious to journey with these young men. Formation needs to be all around, dealing with pastoral formation, spiritual formation intellectual formation, and the like. So, from the pastoral side, there was a need to have a liturgist in the formation which we did not have. This means understaffing which is a challenge. It is necessary to have a resident liturgist so the practical side of the formation can be handled by a liturgist.

Again, forming these young men is a responsibility and one has to be considerate of the various stages of formation. This calls for thorough research combining a new student with one almost finishing his fourth year. I thank God I managed.

AMECEA Online: What message do you have for formators?

Fr. Terry: All formators should be like a farmer. A good farmer will always plant the seed, weed, and manure it. Whenever necessary there is a need for watering the plant. So, a formator should see the young people as seedlings planted and very delicate and need to be attended to. So, every formator should be conscious of the examples they set. One has to be gentle, correct the formees firmly at the same time encourage them that it is possible to change. The word of God has the power to transform our lives. So, whenever necessary bring the word of God when advising the young people. This helps to support one’s argument. Formators must be exemplary since young people emulate what the formators do. They must always know that they have a responsibility for the Church, they need to be conscious of this every day since formation is very delicate and when one has been formed, to undo what is wrong is very difficult. I urge all formators to be very careful, prudent and at the same time do what the Church expects of them.

AMECEA Online: What message do you have to candidates aspiring to join the priesthood?

Fr. Terry: Seminary is a good place and a school of Jesus Christ, it welcomes anybody willing to listen to the voice of Jesus who said “Come follow me.” Seminary is a house of God therefore collaboration helps one realize God’s message.

AMECEA Online: Do you have any last message?

Fr. Terry: The situation of availability of formators should be a top priority. Therefore, those recruiting formators should be considerate of this.