BANGOR — Roman Catholic Bishop Robert P. Deeley announced recently that he has appointed the Rev. Robert Tumwekwase, A.J. (Apostles of Jesus), as a hospital chaplain in the Bangor-Brewer area, with primary responsibilities to St. Joseph Healthcare in Bangor. As part of his assignment, Father Tumwekwase will celebrate Masses at St. Leo the Great Parish in Howland during the summer months.
Ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 4, 1988, Father Tumwekwase holds doctoral and licentiate degrees in canon law from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. He served as a pastor and associate pastor for the Archdiocese of Mombasa, Kenya, and ministered to refugees in northeast Kenya before being named rector, director and teacher at Blessed Bakhita Formation Center in Kitale, Kenya, where he served from 1996 to 2000.
From 2002 to 2006, Father Tumwekwase was a canon law lecturer at the Chemichem Institute, Apostles of Jesus Major Seminary and The Catholic University of Eastern Africa, all located in Nairobi.
He arrived in the United States in 2006, serving in New Hampshire since that time as a chaplain and tutor at Northeast Catholic College (formerly The College of Saint Mary Magdalen) in Warner from 2006 to 2011; as a high school theology teacher in Concord from 2011 to 2013; and as an associate pastor for Holy Spirit Parish in Keene from 2013 to June of this year.
The Rev. Apolinary Kavishe, who is also a member of the Apostles of Jesus, has served as a hospital chaplain in the Bangor-Brewer area since 2005 with primary responsibilities at Eastern Maine Medical Center. He also serves as a parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor. Father Kavishe will continue to serve in those roles.
The Apostles of Jesus are engaged in direct pastoral work in Africa, Europe, Australia, Cuba and the United States, serving in parishes, hospitals, nursing home facilities and universities.
For information, contact Dave Guthro, communications director for the Diocese of Portland, at 321-7810 or dave.guthro@portlanddiocese.org.