10 Questions With Father Robert Obro

A release from the Lynnfield Catholic Collaborative:

Fr. Robert Obro is a priest from the Society of African Missions (SMA Fathers) who has been living and working in the parishes of the Lynnfield Catholic Collaborative throughout the month of August.

1. Tell us about your homeland.
Nigeria is in western Africa with a southern coast located in the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. Although not the largest African country in size, its population of about 200 million makes it the most populous. Nigerians depend greatly on agriculture – with major crops such as cocoa, beans, sesame, and cassava – but it is also the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world. Although Nigeria experienced a lengthy military rule and has been plagued with accusations of electoral fraud, there is currently a democratically elected government in place. As for the climate, we have two seasons: dry and wet.

2. Nigerians are about equally divided into Christians and Muslims, with a minority of other indigenous religions. Does this diversity cause any problems?

Not at all, they co-exist harmoniously.

3. Nigeria’s official language is English, but do you speak any other languages/dialects?

Nigeria has over 300 dialects. My dialect is “okpe”. The Okpe people are part of the Urhobo Clan.

4. Tell us about your work as an SMA priest.

I have served in Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Central African Republic, and Liberia, but travel is not the primary objective of our mission -- it is to proclaim the Gospel in Africa and among people of African origin. I am currently serving as the pastor of two newly created parishes. Much like your priests in the Lynnfield Collaborative, I split my time between the two churches.

5. What are some of the biggest challenges facing your country/region?

As a developing nation, our most predominant challenges are education, health care, unemployment, human rights, clean water, and infrastructure.

6. Tell us about your family and childhood.

I was born into a large polygamous family that practiced traditional African religion. In total, there were 25 of us siblings! My father owned several supermarkets, so we were financially sufficient. Both my parents were illiterate, but they were open-minded and caring, and “integrity” was of utmost importance.

When a high school classmate of mine contracted chicken pox, I noticed that he was being isolated in quarantine, so I stayed and cared for him, washing his clothes and cleaning his room. He was so grateful that when he got better, he took me to meet his family, who were Catholic. They introduced me to Mass and his elder brother taught me some simple prayers. I was baptized into the Catholic Church in 1982, the year I graduated from high school and that classmate’s brother became my godfather. I became the first Christian, the first Catholic, in my family. One day, my father asked me what was going on with me. He was concerned because I had once been a little bit of a rascal and then all of a sudden, I had calmed down. He was worried I had done something truly terrible. I told him that I had found Jesus and that knowing Christ personally changed my life. His response: “I will have to learn more about your Jesus.” Eventually, their family members converted to Catholicism, including both my parents.

7. Tell us about your vocation journey.

After my conversion, I experienced the desire to “do more” for God’s glory. I owe a deep gratitude to my pastor and role model, Fr. James Higgins, SMA, for taking the time to guide me in discernment until I finally realized that I was being called by God to be a priest. There was no opposition from my parents, but it was a new experience for all of us. In October 1986, I became one of the first six Africans to begin the journey to priesthood as part of the Society of African Missions. I was ordained on August 17, 1996.

8. Since this is your first visit to the United States, has anything surprised you?

I am surprised at the number of seniors serving at Mass. In my community, these roles are typically reserved for children because of their innocence. If adults serve, they are considered to be of the “most holy” caliber.

9. Do you have a favorite American food?

I have always been a big fan of ice cream and the good people of St. Maria Goretti and Our Lady of the Assumption have made certain I’ve gotten to taste a wide variety of local ice cream. The people back home will never believe that missionaries suffer when I return with a belly full of Putnam’s ice cream.

10. Did you get a chance to see some sights during your stay?

My priority has been to meet with parish pastoral and social groups, and learn from their stories. BUT parishioners have been kind enough to take me around to see the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Foster’s in Maine, the Fishermen’s Memorial and waterfront of Gloucester, and the New England Aquarium … not to mention all the ice cream shops!