Congratulations
Fr. Desmond!

A special anniversary and (soon) new job as our associate pastor

We all have our special occasions and several days ago, Fr. Desmond Nwanne Chilagorom celebrated a very special one - his 30th anniversary as a priest.  Fr. Desmond is currently serving as a chaplain at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital and Nursing Home as well as helping with priestly duties at St. Patrick’s during the summer months.  When his summer duties have been completed, he will stay on at St. Patrick’s as our new associate pastor, replacing Fr. Jilson.  The anniversary of his ordination was on July 22nd.  His thirty years have taken him many places and taught him many things.

Fr. Desmond was born on August 13, 1948 in Eziagbogu, Mbaise Imo State, Nigeria.  He was the seventh of ten children -- three brothers (two now deceased) and six sisters.  As one of the younger children in the family, he spent much time helping his older siblings as they started having families.  He helped care for his sisters’ children and served as a house boy for one year for his older brother in Northern Nigeria.  In turn, his older brother sponsored Fr. Desmond’s education.  This type of help and cooperation within families is common in Nigeria, according to Fr. Desmond.  In Nigeria, he said, “your children are your social security.”

Fr. Desmond had never considered the priesthood until his final year in primary school.  That year, for the first time, someone from his locality became a priest and the priesthood seemed to become more of an option.  Entrance exams were made available and young men were encouraged to consider a priestly vocation.  Fr. Desmond’s teacher wrote to  his older brother, noting Fr. Desmond’s intelligence and suggested that he take the entrance exam.  Fr. Desmond entered the junior seminary in 1964.  His education was interrupted by war for three years, then in 1971 he entered the senior seminary.  On July 22, 1979, he was ordained.

Fr. Desmond admits that the seminary years were tough, “but I was never afraid,” he said “I don’t know what I would have done if I were not a priest. I am very happy.”

His first assignment as a priest was as associate pastor.  He then served as pastor in two other parishes before he began studies in Rome.  His studies led to a license and a doctorate specializing in spiritual theology.  During his time in Rome, Fr. Desmond spent the summers in Germany.  His travels have led him to speak several different languages including Italian, German and English.  He also reads Latin, Hebrew and Greek.  His travels also took him to  one of his favorite places, the island of Malta, off the coast of Italy.

Fr. Desmond describes Malta as a small, very Catholic country where the people are generally poor, but very happy.  It is the location of St. Paul’s Church, the site of St. Paul’s  shipwreck described in Acts chapters 27 & 28.  After his time in Rome, Fr. Desmond returned to Nigeria for 11 years where he worked in two more parishes and served as a lecturer at St. Joseph Seminary (the senior seminary) in Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria.  In December, 2001, Fr. Desmond came to the United States.  He first worked in the Diocese of Boise, Idaho before becoming pastor of a church in Condon, Oregon for four years and pastor of St. Helen’s Church in Pilot Rock, Oregon for two years.  He arrived at St. Patrick’s in June.

His main duty since his arrival has been to serve as chaplain at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital and Nursing Home, giving Fr. Fred and Fr. Anselm some well-deserved time off.  He was trained for his new position by Fr. Fred. “Fr. Fred is a wonderful teacher.  He has treated me as his own brother,” Fr. Desmond said.  “The staff is very helpful and cooperative.  The Catholic Church is taking very good care of those who are sick and many are very appreciative,” he said.  The hospital can teach a wonderful lesson, according to Fr. Desmond. “There you are faced with the reality of life.  You can’t rely only on yourself.  Anyone can be in this position,” he said.

In regard to the vocation he began 30 years ago, Fr. Desmond says he most enjoys, “being there for others, not being self-centered, and being always available.”

His first impression of the United States was that it is very different from Europe.  Here, he says, “everyone is hustling, everything is about speed.  Church wise,” he added, it is hard to make a general statement.  He found the churches in Oregon to be very different from what he has found here.  Fr. Desmond is highly complementary of the people of St. Patrick’s.  “They are warm and affectionate. The community is vibrant and people greet you from the heart,” he said.

Still, Fr. Desmond notes some of the downfalls of our culture compared to that in his native Nigeria.  In Nigeria, he says, “Church and religion come first in life.” In the United States, he says, “for some, it is the Church of Convenience.”  In Nigeria, people place great faith in their priests and confession is highly frequented.  According to Fr. Desmond, many of our problems are rooted in  family problems.  Marriage and family are of special concern to him.  When in Rome, he studied marriage therapy.  He so excelled in the class that he was encouraged to write a book.  It was not until he was in Oregon that he found the time to write.  The result was a book entitled Family Life in the Light of the Gospel.

Fr. Desmond’s book stresses the importance of family as the “basic unit of society,” and addresses the challenges facing today’s families.  “If we are to transform the world,” Fr. Desmond said, “we must start with the family.”  Quoting from his book, Fr. Desmond writes, “ ... Christian family members must be conscious of the presence of Christ in their midst as the way, the truth and the life, which they must imitate. Hence they must be concerned for each other, have the spirit of sharing, carry one another’s burdens, have passion for mutual forgiveness, bearing in mind that the power of forgiving is the sign of God’s presence among men, and embrace the radical simplicity of life.” (Fr. Desmond has several copies of the book for anyone interested in reading it. The cost is $16.)

From all of us at St. Patrick’s, congratulations on your 30th anniversary and we welcome you as our new associate pastor!

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