Nigeria
Saint Mukasa Priory in Nigeria
In the early 1960s, the concern of the Holy See for the spiritual welfare of the developing world prompted the Pope to insist that religious orders share their personnel with less fortunate areas. Abbot Michael Lensing, after approval from the Subiaco chapter of monks, assigned four monks to found what would become the first Benedictine monastic community in Nigeria. On August 6, 1963, the four months left Arkansas for the village of Eleme, outside the city of Port Harcourt, in Nigeria. Those four founding monks --Fr. Lawrence Miller, Fr. Basil Wiederkehr, Fr. Raphael DeSalvo, and Fr. Camillus Cooney-- would assume the care of the fledgling Ascension High School while also seeking to build a new monastery. On November 12, 1964, two religious brothers--Br. Louis Fuhrmann and Br. Paul Halliburton-- would be sent to assist the new community. This new monastery chose the name “Saint Mukasa Priory” in honor of one of the leaders of the Uganda Martyrs. Civil unrest and the ensuing Biafra Nigerian Civil War would require the monks to leave Nigeria on Holy Thursday, April 11, 1968, and never return.
After the war, the High School would continue to the present day but under the care of the Diocese of Port Harcourt. The small former monastery built by the monks would be taken over, and considerably expanded, by the Nigerian province of the Daughters of Charity. Our monks, although stationed there for only six short years, inspired a generation of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. One such graduate from Ascension High School (Fr. Pius Iwu) would later become a diocesan priest and be called to serve the Diocese of Little Rock (Arkansas, USA). He had met Fr. Raphael DeSalvo when Fr. Pius was but a 16 year old student at Ascension. Another Nigerian diocesan priest (Fr. Abraham Anselm Isidahome Ojefua) would join Saint Mukasa Priory and undertake his initial monastic formation at our Abbey in Arkansas. He would later transfer to the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, but always retained a desire and calling to found a distinctive “Nigerian” monastic community. As such, he would return to Nigeria and with the help of Bishop Godfrey Okoye would found what is today two thriving Cistercian monasteries in Nigeria with over 100 monks.
Photos and Further History
Click on the buttons below to view a selection of photos that are organized into four categories. BUILDINGS will show the High School and Monastery as they were being constructed in the mid 1960's, as well as photos later during the 2000's. The more recent photos show where 1-the Sisters of Charity had taken over the former monastery and geatly expanded it, and 2-the main building of Ascension High School that still functions today after construction by our monks over 50 years ago. Under PEOPLE you can view some of those who partnered with the monks in their Nigerian ministries. Under SUPERIOR you can view some of the photos of Fr. Raphael DeSalvo as he led the foundation during those six years. Finally, under MONKS you can view the vaious monks during their time in Nigeria, a blessing for the missioning of the two Brothers, as well as the visit of Abbot Michael to their struggling foundation before its closure.