On Saturday, May 23, 2026, Bishop George Nkuo, Bishop of Kumbo, Cameroon, ordained two men to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland. It was generous and fitting that the bishop of Kumbo would travel roughly 5,500 miles to Portland to ordain two men who will serve in our diocese and then return to Kumbo at the conclusion of their service here.

  Father Evans Bongwun-nyuy Yongyee and Father Ezekiel Banla Yisi recently completed their studies and seminary formation at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. It was a unique and edifying arrangement. Sent by Bishop George, formed first in Cameroon and then in the United States, Fathers Evans and Ezekiel now begin their priestly ministry with a formation marked by two continents, two cultures, and one Catholic faith. In a real sense, they are “bicultural” priests. Their formation in both cultures will serve both local Churches well.

  Beyond the fact that these two new priests were prepared for the priesthood on two different continents and in two different cultures, their own shepherd’s presence was a powerful sign of collaboration between the Diocese of Kumbo and the Diocese of Portland. Our bishop emeritus, Bishop Robert Deeley, established the original agreement with Bishop George nearly 10 years ago. Since that time, several priests from Kumbo have served and continue to serve generously in our diocese.

  The formal term often applied to priests who are sent for a period of time from one diocese to serve in another is “Fidei Donum” priests. The Latin phrase means “the gift of faith.” In a true sense, these priests are missionaries in our local Church of Portland. There is something striking and providential about this. Europe and the United States were once major sources of missionaries sent to other parts of the world. Today, local Churches and religious congregations in Africa, India, and other places are offering missionary priests to serve in the United States and Europe. This reversal is not simply a response to pastoral need. It is also a sign of the Church’s catholicity. The Church is not owned by one nation, one culture, or one people. She is the body of Christ, alive in every land, enriched by every people, and made more radiant when one local Church shares its gifts with another.

  Reflecting on the ordination Mass over which Bishop George presided, I was moved by the cultural connections that were evident throughout the liturgy. One especially memorable moment was the procession of the Lectionary, the book that contains the readings proclaimed during Mass. The word of God was brought forward in a procession marked by African chant, movement, and great reverence. As the young person bearing the word of God arrived at the foot of the sanctuary, I felt the assembly’s anticipation deepen. The procession did not distract from the word. It prepared us to receive it. It awakened in us a readiness to listen.

  Another moment when I experienced the tangible fruit of the Kumbo and Portland collaboration was during Bishop George’s homily. He wove together the personal histories of Father Evans and Father Ezekiel, the Church of Kumbo, and the Church of Portland, leading us naturally to the sacred moment of their ordination. Bishop George held my attention and drew me more deeply into reflection, not only on the partnership between our two dioceses but also on the priesthood itself. As he opened the Scriptures and spoke to the ordinands, I had the clear sense that I was listening to a true shepherd speak to his sons.

  Outside of the Mass, I also had the opportunity to spend time with Bishop George and to know him better. He is a true gentleman, and his humility is evident. He has served as bishop of Kumbo since 2006, nearly 20 years. The Diocese of Kumbo, like other dioceses in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, faces not only the ordinary pastoral challenges of attending to the spiritual needs of many souls but also the painful realities of the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon’s North West and South West regions. Armed separatist violence, government responses, abductions, displacement, and insecurity have deeply disrupted daily life and placed many innocent people in danger. Priests, religious, seminarians, and lay faithful have not been spared from this suffering.  

In such a context, Bishop George is called not only to govern and sanctify but also to be a voice of peace, reconciliation, and justice for the people entrusted to his care. To preach the Gospel boldly amid a culture marked by conflict and occasional violence requires courage. To remain close to one’s people in such a situation requires the heart of a shepherd. Bishop George has done this faithfully. 

 For that reason, the ordination of Father Evans and Father Ezekiel was more than a diocesan event and more than a joyful celebration for two new priests. It was a visible sign of communion. It reminded us that the Church is one, even when her members live across oceans. It reminded us that the priesthood is always a gift, never a possession. It reminded us that the faith we have received is meant to be shared.

  On that Saturday morning in Portland, the Diocese of Kumbo gave two sons to the service of Christ and His Church. The Diocese of Portland received them with gratitude. And together, across distance, culture, and circumstance, we glimpsed something essential about the Church herself: when one local Church gives and another receives, both are enriched, and the whole body of Christ is strengthened.