Apostles of Jesus Missionaries General Assembly and Silver jubilee at Malvern House – Philadelphia USA
By Fr Francis Njau, AJ
The Religious Missionary Institute of the Apostles of Jesus celebrated its Silver Jubilee with great joy and jubilation, marking 25 years of service in the United States. During their General Assembly, the Fathers of the Institute gathered in the USA Region to express their deep gratitude and celebrate this 25-year milestone in their mission. To ensure that this historic occasion would be remembered by generations to come, they thoughtfully prepared a series of commemorative events. Priests serving as parish pastors, parochial vicars, hospital chaplains, local leaders, and friends all gathered to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the Apostles of Jesus at the Malvern Retreat House in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In celebrating our Silver Jubilee, the regional administration organized a Day of Recollection to mark the beginning of the celebration. Fr. Geoffrey Inira, AJ, delivered a talk that prepared members spiritually to reflect deeply on our Institute of the Apostles of Jesus—where we came from and where our future lies. He read to us the reflections of our Co-founders, who laid the solid foundation for our missionary life and evangelization.
The Day of Recollection reminded us that God’s grace has always been with us, enabling us to celebrate today as we cherish and uphold the blessings He has bestowed upon us. Members of the USA Region engaged in thoughtful introspection, examining how they have followed God’s path up to this Silver Jubilee. We were reminded to always rely on and focus on the Lord, as He is the guide for both us and the entire Institute.
Through this reflection, members realized that God’s infinite grace will always fulfill its intended purpose. Everyone rejoiced that God has accompanied us every step of the way, expressing deep gratitude in various ways as we celebrated 25 years as a region.
Under the leadership of Fr. Augustine Indra, AJ, and his council, thoughtful preparations were made to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the USA Region. To commemorate 25 years of service in this great nation, each member was presented with a Silver Jubilee hat and T-shirt. Everyone was excited to receive these gifts, and I personally felt truly grateful for such a memorable keepsake of our 2026 Silver Jubilee.
Pictured above are the members of the USA Region wearing their hats and T-shirts, which display the logo for the Silver Jubilee of the Apostles of Jesus serving in the USA.
It was inspiring to have some of the first priests who came here to the USA present for our Silver Jubilee celebration: Fr. Peter Mushy, A.J., and Fr. Nestor Agirembabazi, A.J. Both confreres were filled with joy as they witnessed the Region celebrate its Silver Jubilee.
Fr. Nestor, shared what he went through while opening the first parish here in the USA Region—St. Angela Merici Parish in New York. He shared that it was not easy in the beginning, but by the grace of God, prayer, and perseverance, they were able to overcome every challenge. He mentioned that even robbers tried to steal from the parish property, but they endured through the spirit of God.
He reminded us that when we put God first, the power of faith can gradually transform any situation. He noted that today, that very parish has been completely transformed and is a great success. He testified that they always trusted in God with gratitude, and God helped them through.
In celebrating the Silver Jubilee, members expressed their deep gratitude to God. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:11–19). Celebrating our Silver Jubilee gives us a wonderful opportunity to express our thanks to God for all He has done for us. Jesus clearly indicated that expressing gratitude is crucial in human life. His words serve as a gentle reminder that we should always give thanks to God for His goodness. We are able to celebrate 25 years because, along this milestone, we were never alone; God has been with us daily to provide strength and guide our path forward. Indeed, gratitude is fundamental to our lives, calling us to always remember and demonstrate our appreciation for all that God has accomplished for us.
During the occasion, Most Rev. Alfred Schlert, JCL, Bishop of the Diocese of Allentown, joined us and presided over the Mass. In His homily the Bishop expressed his gratitude, joy and honor at joining the Apostles of Jesus on such a significant occasion.
During Mass, the AJ Members sung and praised the Lord with great cheerfulness and joy. It was a deeply inspiring liturgy. During the masses seven of our confreres serving here in the USA celebrated their 25th anniversary.
Attached is a photo of the Brother Priests following the Holy Mass.
Reverend Fathers, Bruno Dongo, AJ, Ceasar Amandua, AJ Process Kiocha, AJ, Amandus Swai, AJ, Pius Wesunga, AJ, George Otuma, AJ and Francis Iroot, AJ are the seven AJ Priests who celebrated their Silver Jubilee alongside the 25th anniversary of the USA Region’s establishment.
They pause with gratitude and joy to commemorate this remarkable milestone. Celebrating their personal Silver Jubilees together with that of the Region made it truly a festive occasion. Gathering in celebration, they reflect with deep joy on how God has guided and blessed their mission to this day.
During the celebration, members recounted some of their achievements. In our conversation, we reflected on the milestones we have reached over the past 25 years. We started with one parish, but at present, we have 28 parishes in various states. We started in one state, but now we are in [number] states across the USA. We began with one diocese, but now we are in 8 dioceses across the USA. We started with two priests, but now we are 72 priests working in parishes and hospitals. We initially had no chaplains, but now a good number of priests serving as hospital chaplains.
Another achievement is that many confreres furthered their education, earning master’s degrees and doctorates in various academic disciplines. We had no teachers at first, but currently, several of our brother priests teach in colleges and universities. We started with one zone, but today we have six zones with about 15 communities in various states across the USA. The number of our confreres shepherding as pastors continues to grow day by day, while others have become administrators. This clearly shows the grace of God working in our members daily.
In conclusion, the members of the Religious Missionary Institute of the Apostles of Jesus expressed profound joy and gratitude to God. They marked this joy by celebrating their Silver Jubilee, offering thanks for the abundant graces and blessings bestowed by the Creator. This celebration mirrors the Biblical Jubilee year: in the Old Testament, the Year of Jubilee was a divine decree (Leviticus 25:8–55) ordained by God to remind the Israelites of His enduring grace. Emulating this practice of mindful gratitude in our daily lives yields benefits for both ourselves and our communities. Ultimately, expressing gratitude to God acknowledges our continual dependence on His grace to grow and flourish. These milestones stand as enduring reminders to present and future members that prayer and perseverance are indispensable to true success.
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