KISSIMMEE | It is the third Saturday of the month and a small community of Africans, Haitians, and people of other cultures gather for the monthly African Community Mass. With its lively music, tapping of drums and array of colorful clothing, many find refuge and rejoice in maintaining traditions and culture in the way they honor the Lord.
After moving parishes for several years, Father Emmanuel Akalue, pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Casselberry announced the African Mass will return to Casselberry, June 15. The parish served as a central location and homebase for the Mass for a decade until the COVID pandemic.
With the influx of African and Caribbean immigrants in the early 2000s, then-Bishop Thomas Wenski encouraged the start of an African Community Mass in 2008. He approached Nigerian priest, Father Emmanuel Akalue to make it happen. Halted during the COVID pandemic, the Mass returned in late 2024, regaining its former strength gradually.
Prior to COVID, the monthly Mass which celebrates with traditional music in several languages, African instruments, special offerings, and birthday celebrations – welcomed more than 200 people.
Kelechi Oparaji (Kelechi means “Thank God”) recalled the early days. Raised in a family that strongly supported the building of churches, when Father Akalue enlisted him to help, he was eager. Oparaji was the choir master, sacristan, and even published the bulletins. Most recently, he released a new website for the ministry. Among his fondest memories is that of his daughter’s Baptism at the inaugural Mass. He still enjoys dancing up to the altar during their shared birthday month to receive a blessing.
During this time, Father Stephen Ogonwa, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Candler arrived. A friend of Father Akalue, the two attended seminary in the Diocese of Seluku, Nigeria, together. Oparaji said Father Ogonwa quickly became “a strong force” in the African Community Mass.
“For me the African Mass is so special, so dear to my heart,” Father Ogonwa said. “Coming to this African Mass I get to know my people well and I minister to them. I celebrate their joys. If they’re celebrating birthdays or funerals, I’m always there for them as a priest. Seeing someone from their place makes them feel happy.”
He commutes two hours, each way for the Mass since 2008 and has celebrated every month, unless on vacation. “It’s a joy for me coming to be with them and have the African dishes to eat. The fellowship and seeing my fellow priests are something I look forward to every month.”
The Mass was celebrated at St. Augustine Parish in Casselberry the first 10 years. After COVID ended, the location became unavailable. Urged by Bishop John Noonan’s prompting to restore the Mass, it moved to St. Rose of Lima in Poinciana for a short time, where Father Akalue served. But the location proved difficult to reach and too far away. In November 2024, after being appointed to Holy Redeemer Parish in Kissimmee, the African Community Mass found a new home.
Stepping in to re-establish it was Nkiru Mbionwu. She began participating in the Mass more than 10 years ago. She is grateful for the new location and acknowledges it was “challenging at first.”
She decided, if she was going to be involved, she was going to do it well. She became the choir director, helped organize and spread the word, and created a monthly announcement.
“The choir has improved, new people are coming, and some old people are still not back. But we continue to reach out to them,” she said.
With Father Akalue’s appointment as pastor of St. Augustine in Casselberry, the African Community Mass is returning to its homebase. Being more centrally located, Mbionwu hopes even more people will come.
She recalled arriving in Florida in 1997 and her first African Masses. Because it was meant to include anyone from the Caribbean and various countries in Africa, “The songs were not the same. Back home we beat the drums and sing and dance in church,” she said. “At home we go up to give the offering and it’s very different. I took time getting used to the way they celebrated here and the songs, but I’ve come to appreciate them.”
“To go to African Mass is like going home. Remembering it as a teenager when I was in boarding schools, remembering the songs we sang in our native language – it takes the worship to another level for me,” she said. Mbionwu also noted customs are easy to forget. Most of her generation’s children are more acclimated to the American culture. The Mass is an opportunity to teach them about where they are from “and see how we worship back home,” she said.
Although divorced, her ex-husband also attends the celebration of Mass. She explained, “Our worship of God transcends human feelings. The marriage didn’t work, but we have the opportunity to serve God and worship together because God is more important.”
At a recent Mass, she invited two University of Central Florida students. Godfred Ahenkroa Kesse has been in Orlando two years and away from his home in Ghana since 2022. “I feel good. I feel loved to see people of my culture here and everyone happily together. I’m not home, but this makes me feel like I’m home,” he said.
His friend, Cecilia Ezeanya, who is from Nigeria, agreed. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen the two collections (where gifts are also brought up for the priests to show their care for them). It was great being in the African community again after two years.” She recognized some of the songs and looked forward to traditional home cooking.
Perhaps Nigerian Father Kenneth Onyeabor, of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Winter Park said it best. “(The African Community Mass) is like a communion we share together. I am happy to be part of this wonderful family.” n
The African Community Mass takes place every third Saturday at 3 p.m. at St. Augustine Parish, 375 N. Sunset Dr., Casselberry. For information, visit africanorlandodiocese.org
View a video at https://youtu.be/mHdE23xt8ow