St. Patrick Church in Pottsville celebrates priest's silver jubilee

Hyun Soo Lee, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 16—POTTSVILLE — Parishioners gathered at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church on Sunday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rev. Barnabas Shayo's ordination.

Shayo, a native of Tanzania, has been the church's parochial vicar and hospital chaplain since 2018.

More than 100 people attended a special Mass on Sunday commemorating the silver jubilee, or the 25th anniversary, of his ordination into priesthood.

The Rev. Speratus Kamanzi, pastor of St. John the Baptist Slovak Catholic Church in Allentown, delivered a homily recognizing Shayo for his tireless service as a member of the clergy.

"Father Barnabas, the Apostles of Jesus and the entire people of God that you serve are very proud of your achievements. ... We continue praying that the grace of the Lord may increase more years to your faithful service," Kamanzi said.

Shayo is a member of the Apostles of Jesus, which was the first religious missionary order of priests and brothers to be founded in Africa.

Ordained in 1998, Shayo moved to the United States in 2007 and served at Providence Portland Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, as hospital chaplain for outpatients.

He studied in the hospital's Clinical Pastoral Education program as part of his formation to be a certified chaplain, graduating in 2008. He also earned a bachelor's degree in sacred theology and a master's degree in theology from Walsh University, North Canton, Ohio.

In 2012, Shayo was transferred to Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, as a full-time hospital chaplain. The hospital is now the Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center.

Shayo was joined Sunday by the Rev. Philip F. Rodgers, as well as Kamanzi and other priests from the Apostles of Jesus.

"From the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, now you are here on the slopes of Pottsville," said Kamanzi, the former superior general of the Apostles of Jesus.

Shayo was presented with a number of gifts, including spiritual bouquets from students in the church's PREP program, as well as students from Assumption BVM School.

He also received a special chalice, a contribution from the Knights of Columbus Council 431 of Schuylkill County and parishioners at St. Patrick.

Toward the end of the Mass, the Rev. Augustine Idra, regional superior for the Apostles of Jesus, said that Shayo was influenced by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant, who believed in the theory of "duty for duty's sake."

Idra commended Shayo on his achievements and said he looks forward, "many years from now," to celebrating the priest's golden jubilee.

Shayo thanked Rodgers, his fellow Apostles of Jesus ministers and parishioners at St. Patrick for attending the jubilee celebration.

After the Mass, parishioners continued the festivities with a potluck in the church's parish hall.

Contact the writer: hlee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6085