Kentucky Congolese Catholic Association

In 2016 the Bishop of the Lexington Diocese, Bishop John Stowe O.F.M accepted the invitation to celebrate Mass with the Catholic Congolese community in their native Swahili language. This opportunity to gather the Congolese Catholic Community together with our American Catholic community, united in God through our Catholic faith was a remarkable experience of worshiping. From that day Bishop John recommended JOTO MBIRIZI to take the message to all Congolese Catholic peoples to come back to the church and promote our Catholic faith and promised them the Swahili Mass program opening soon. Joto accepted this charge from Bishop John and became a leader of the Congolese Community here in Lexington, KY. After two years the Catholic Congolese Community was growing, being supported by the Lexington parishes, among them St. Peter Claver Parish, Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, Christ the King Cathedral, Newman Center Holy Spirit Parish, and others. In August 2018 Joto Mbirizi founded the Kentucky Congolese Catholic Association (KCCA). This vision came when I saw many members of our community here in Lexington facing big problems of faith, language, jobs, culture, transportation, environment, etc. In Congo DR, because of war many children are orphans and women become widows resulting in serious life problems. Called to address these problems affecting the widows, orphans, single mothers, elderly in bothLexington, Kentucky and Congo DR, I contacted Ms. Mary Rashidi and some parishioners, both American and Congolese from different parishes, to join in and to support this vision, forming the KCCA board. Our mission is Hope and help for tomorrow. In Congo DR we support 100 orphans, 105 widows, 50 elderlyand more peoples with disability, we provided school supplies, school fees, health care for the orphans every year, and we have a farm and fishing boat for providing food for orphans and widows, also providing some jobs for the community. We also have a community center where women are trained without cost to sew, preparing them with a livelihood and a better future. We will continue to build the community as led by God to Hope and Help others for tomorrow.