Deacon Alphonse Tolenga needs your help so that his family can attend his ordination to the priesthood in 2026.

Deacon Alphonse just completed his studies at St. Patrick's Seminary in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He has been studying in the United States for the past three years. He is originally from the Diocese of Tshumbe, Democratic Republic of Congo. He is returning here to New York for the next three months. Then, he will go to France until next summer. He will be ordained a priest next summer!

Tragically, Deacon Alphonse's father died during Deacon's studies here in the United States. His father's death forced his mother and siblings to move to the capital city of Kinshasa. However, Deacon is studying for the Diocese of Tshumbe. It is a two-hour plane ride from Kinshasa to his seminary, and there are only two flights to that region of the country every week. A one-way plane ride is $400.

There is no way for his family to go to his ordination unless we help them go.

The reality of Deacon Alphonse's Family is that their journey has been marked by deep suffering and profound poverty.

Imagine this: as a boy, Deacon was responsible for collecting water daily from the river because there were no wells. It was boiled to avoid contamination. One day, the water bucket fell off of his head, severely lacerating his nose. The only way to treat it from infection was to apply salt directly into the wound. Deacon still has a scar from it.

Imagine this: families must pay out of pocket for school, and sometimes there is no money to send. Deacon was able to attend school because the parish priest saw the seeds of his vocation and decided to sponsor him. Deacon's sister is currently waiting to finish her education.

Imagine this: M23 rebels (deeply connected to the Rwandan genocide) have recently taken over control of two major cities that border his diocese. People are "disappearing" every day.

Originally, Deacon was going to be ordained in just a few weeks. However, his ordination has now been delayed because he has a chronic medical condition. In the United States and France, it is fairly easy to manage. However, in his region of Congo, the only way to be treated medically is to fly back to the capital city. There are no doctors or hospitals anywhere in the vicinity of his diocese. In those types of conditions, people can die. Therefore, his ordination is now delayed so that he can be treated in the United States and France.

But even though his ordination is delayed a year, the same financial barriers for his family will still exist a year from now! So please, let's support Deacon and his family in their great need. God bless you!