TIME TO CELEBRATE FATHER WILLY AND HIS GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS – HIS TEAM

Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C., has led Holy Cross Family Ministries as president, for almost eight years with much zeal. He also served for 14 years as National Director of Family Theater Productions, a member ministry of HCFM. During Father Raymond’s tenure the ministry opened seven new global ministry centers, three in India, two in Tanzania, one each in Haiti and Canada as well as the Museum of Family Prayer. Through all its ministries, HCFM promotes happy, healthy, and holy families from 27 ministries centers in 17 countries on 5 continents. 

Recently, all the members of the HCFM team from around the world had an opportunity to gather virtually and in-person with Father Willy to express their thanks for his guidance and leadership and to wish him well in his next endeavors. There were special presentations from team members, including the presentation by Elizabeth Ponce of a replica of a plaque that will be placed in the new welcoming area of the Museum of Family Prayer when construction is completed. The space, which will house the remains of Father Peyton for veneration by visitors. Father Pinto Paul, C.S.C., presented a mock-up of the new PPG program book with the dedication to Father Willy honoring his support for this important project.

In addition an event video with messages of thanks and blessings compiled from team members around the world was screened. These heartfelt messages left no doubt about Father Willy’s leadership efforts and her personal appreciation for his team.

“Each member of the HCFM team is important to me. Together we are One Body of Christ and serve to fulfill Father Peyton’s vision that, ‘The family that prays together stays together.’  Our work is vital to families to ensure they are faith-filled, strong, unified, and live lives of purpose, peace and joy that can only come from God,” said Father Willy. “Each day I come to the office to serve with you, whether you work out of the Father Peyton Center in Easton, at home, in Hollywood, or at one of our 27 ministry centers around the world, I do so with great zeal. I hope that is evident to each of you and inspires you in the important role each of you plays in the ministry.”

It is apparent to everyone at HCFM and all our partners that Father Willy has made a difference in HCFM and has well positioned the ministry for future growth. 

“There is an appointed time for everything,

and a time for every affair under the heavens.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

 Father Willy, we are grateful for your service and wish you well in the years ahead. God bless.

FATHER FRED JENGA, C.S.C., APPOINTED PRESIDENT OF HOLY CROSS FAMILY MINISTRIES

After an extensive search, Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C, is appointed as the next President of Holy Cross Family Ministries.

Father Jenga, a priest of the Congregation for 17 years, has experience with the ministry. He has served as a corporate member on the board of directors for 5 years. He also served in a pastoral role as Regional Director of the ministry’s offices in East Africa for 7 years where he led the ministry in their digital and in-person mission outreach to enhance the prayer life of families. He built several teams of lay people, teams that have helped the ministry to grow in East Africa. He also creatively educated and helped the members of Holy Cross in East Africa to learn about and embrace the ministry as an important part of the Congregation’s efforts.

The first Peyton Prayer Guild Chapters for children were formed under Father Jenga’s leadership. He developed a program that brought children in schools and parishes together to learn the Rosary, pray for their families and learn about the life of Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. This program has grown and now has nearly 1,000 children participating. 

Father Jenga has multiple degrees in Communications, including San Francisco State University, Makerere University, Kampala, as well as a Bachelor of Theology from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, and a Bachelor of Philosophy from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome.  Father Jenga recently completed a Doctorate in Communication from the University of Texas. He is an active researcher in the area of Communication and Religion; and he has published and presented several papers at academic conferences.

Father Jenga was born in Uganda, where he grew up on the banks of the River Nile and Lake Victoria, in the Ugandan district of Jinja. Father Jenga speaks several languages in addition to English, including his ethnic language, Lusoga, as well as Luganda, Rutooro, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda.

Family ministry does not garner much fanfare, however, as the basic unit of society, this work is vital to ensure families are faith-filled, strong, unified, and live lives of purpose, peace and joy that can only come from God. We know Father Jenga is committed to this mission.

We congratulate Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., in his new role and extend our support and prayer as he leads this important ministry to serve the contemporary family through their 27 ministries centers in 17 countries on 5 continents.