In June, we were so happy to welcome Fr. Royd Mweemba as our new Parochial Vicar. This is not Fr. Royd’s first time at St. Michael, — he had previously served our parish back in the summer of 2014. We are blessed that he has returned to serve our parish community. Fr. Royd’s journey has led him to be both a teacher and a student over the years. His roots lie in Zambia, where he was born and raised.
“I grew up in Mazabuka, a town in the southern part of the country,” Fr. Royd says. “Zambia is a very peaceful and beautiful country with warm and friendly people.”
As he grew up with his four brothers and one sister, Fr. Royd was very active in his Catholic faith. His time spent as an altar server deeply impacted him and Fr. Royd knows that it played a significant role in preparing his heart for the priesthood. The parishes where he grew up all had many mission churches so the priests and altar servers had to travel long distances to reach all of them.
“Having been close to the work of the priests, the seed of vocation to the priesthood was planted and was slowly budding,” Fr. Royd says. “Those great priests, among them the first indigenous priest in my diocese, Fr. Dominic Nchete, were very inspirational.”
Fr. Royd spent time teaching in seminary and studying at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland. He served parishes in his own diocese and later came to Honolulu for missionary work before being assigned to our parish.
“Doing pastoral work is a challenging but fulfilling work,” Fr. Royd says. “It is always gratifying to see people finding meaning in life and coming to strength in the faith, having been ministered to.”
Along his path as a priest, Fr. Royd has found consolation and strength in his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“Our Blessed Mother, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the mother of priests and all the faithful,” Fr. Royd says. “She never fails in her efficacious intercessions for us.”
Here at St. Michael, Fr. Royd has been welcomed by our community and he looks forward to the work he will do and the people he will meet in helping Fr. Lio in his ministry to the people.
“I like the parish and her warm and friendly people,” Fr. Royd says. “It is a great parish with many helpful faith formation programs. The number of willing volunteers for different tasks is so heartwarming.”All of us here at St. Michael welcome Fr. Royd to our parish ‘ohana!
Courtesy of Catholic Stewardship Consultants
Dec/Jan 2024 Newsletter
