This year, the connection between Nigeria and the Queen of Martyrs Pastorate in the Beloit area became stronger.
The seemingly unlikely connection was strengthened from two events that took place this year, one in the summer and the second in the fall.
In the summer, new Sisters arrived in Clinton, just outside Beloit, and from the Sisters’ witness, a local high schooler was inspired to fundraise in the fall, donating Legos to an orphanage the Sisters’ congregation operates.
New Sisters
In early June, the Diocese of Madison welcomed two new Sisters.
On June 5, the new Sisters — Sr. Mary Esther Nwafor and Sr. Mary John Oworu — arrived in Queen of Martyrs Pastorate, which includes Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Beloit, St. Jude Church in Beloit, St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Beloit, and St. Stephen Church in Clinton.
Both Sisters are ethnically Nigerian and are a part of the Institute of the Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus (EHJ), which was founded in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1943.
Now at Queen of Martyrs Pastorate, Sister Mary Esther and Sister Mary John were welcomed by their fellow native Nigerian Fr. Lawrence Oparaji, who is a parochial vicar there.
Father Oparaji explained how Queen of Martyrs came to receive the EHJ Sisters.
He said that because of the Diocese of Madison’s Into the Deep strategic planning process, “one of the fruits that has flowed from this has certainly been bringing our four rectories together” in the pastorate.
But by bringing the rectories together, “We now had a rectory that was going to be [left] empty,” he continued.
When thinking about how to best utilize the unused rectory, Father Oparaji suggested to Queen of Martyrs Parochial Administrator Fr. Bart Timmerman that he thought the space would be perfect for a convent.
Father Timmerman agreed, and when deciding which congregation the pastorate might invite, the EHJ Sisters were at the top of the list.
The EHJ Sisters were so highly regarded for two reasons — the first being that Father Oparaji’s biological sister, Sr. Mary Kate Oparaji, EHJ, is a part of the congregation.
But family ties aside, the second reason is because Father Oparaji and Father Timmerman visited the EHJ Sisters and their Mother General Sr. Mary Fausta Uche Manafa on trip to Nigeria in 2022.
Those connections and exposure to the EHJ Sisters’ mission made the congregation an obvious choice, and Father Timmerman invited them to establish a convent at Queen of Martyrs in the spring of 2023.
With Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison’s approval, along with that of Mother General Sister Mary Fausta, the Sisters moved to the pastorate on June 5, establishing a new EHJ convent in Clinton, with other American convents in Anchorage, Boston, and Denver.
Now having resided here for nearly half a year, Sister Mary Esther and Sister Mary John have been warmly welcomed to the diocese.
Sister Mary Esther said, “The first five months has been wonderful.”
She continued, saying, “Compared to other places we have worked and we have been to, the welcoming attitude was amazing.
“It’s been wonderful, both from the priests in the pastorate and the parishioners; they have been supporting us.
“We cannot appreciate them enough. I don’t feel I’m a stranger here,” she said.
Both Sisters travel around the Beloit and Clinton communities, where they teach catechesis, work part-time as registered nurses, and help deepen the Catholic community of the pastorate.
As a part of their mission, the Sisters send their salaries directly to the congregation, where the money goes to support various initiatives, like the St. Monica Orphanage in Lagos, which is operated by the EHJ congregation.
Fundraising and donations
In the fall, another connection to Nigeria was formed.
In October, a high school student in Clinton, who is a parishioner of St. Stephen Church with his family, was inspired by the witness of the new Sisters and Father Oparaji to share his love of Legos with Lagos.
High school student Garrett Schneider recalled that he was looking for a way to be charitable with his robotics team, just as the new Sisters arrived in the pastorate.
After meeting with the Sisters and learning about how he and his team could help support their initiatives, Schneider organized a fundraiser for St. Monica’s Orphanage in Lagos, one of the orphanages the EHJ congregation operates.
Schneider and his robotics team ran a brat stand at Country Pride Meats, a local butcher shop in Clinton, on October 5, with all proceeds going to support the EHJ orphanage.
Because Country Pride Meats, which is owned by fellow St. Stephen parishioners, Jeff and Kathy Collins, donated the brats in support of the effort, Schneider and his team fundraised enough money to give school supplies, Lego sets, and a monetary donation to the Lagos orphanage.
Schneider explained why Legos were included in the donations, in addition to the monetary donation and school supplies.
He recalled that after meeting with Sister Mary Esther and Sister Mary John, he was surprised to learn that even basic toys were an unavailable luxury for the orphaned children in Lagos.
Given that St. Monica’s usually doesn’t have power, unless they’re running a generator, Schneider thought that Legos would be a perfect gift.
He said that Lego “is a universal toy. Everyone can love it. That’s why it’s so popular worldwide.
“Helping expose them to the joy of building with Lego isn’t something you get to do every day,” he continued.
Father Oparaji reflected on the effort, saying that “We brought in the Sisters, and through that connection, we’re now supporting an international and worldwide mission from our little towns of Beloit and Clinton.
“We’re now able to do something for others across our own borders, without necessarily having to travel.
“Because we have that connection, we can now even be missionaries, who don’t necessarily go to the mission, but we give to it and support it and help it flourish from our own base, here,” Father Oparaji said.
After the successful fundraiser in October, Schneider and his team are aiming to continue their efforts in support of St. Monica’s in the future.