Fr. Anthony Bellagamba was born at Gambettola, Italy, 84 years ago. After his primary school education he joined the Diocesan Seminary which he attended until the end of the philosophical studies. It was during this period as a diocesan seminarian that his religious and missionary vocation began to mature. In 1948, aged 19, he joined the Consolata Missionaries as a Novice. He was ordained a Priest in Turin, northern Italy, in 1952. For the first six years of his priesthood he was a teacher and formator at the Consolata Minor Seminary. By 1958 his hopes of working in a Mission Field came to fruition when he was sent for a short English language course in London before going to Nyeri as a teacher and Vice Rector of St. Paul’s Seminary. Later he worked in Nanyuki as Assistant Parish Priest.

His ministry in USA

After his first Kenyan ministry he was assigned to work in the United States of America where he spent 23 years: ten years as a lecturer, spiritual Director and formator in the Consolata Seminary of Buffalo New York, and thirteen years as National Director of the American Episcopal Conference’s Mission Secretariat in Washington DC. While in Buffalo he advanced and improved his academic qualifications and in 1970 he obtained a Doctorate in Philosophy (PH.D) from the State University of New York specializing in Psychology and Pastoral Theology.

His return to Kenya

Fr. Anthony Bellagamba was reassigned to Kenya in 1985 and until 1993 he lectured at the Catholic Higher Institute of Eastern Africa, now elevated to the status of Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). From 1991 to 1993 he was also the National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies in Kenya.

His service to the Congregation

In June 1993 he was elected Regional Superior of the Consolata Missionaries in North America a position which he held for six years. In June 1999 he was elected Vice General Superior of the Consolata Institute, a service in which he tried to share with the whole Consolata family the values of his pastoral experience and missionary spirit.

His last years

At the end of his mandate in the Consolata Generalate in 2005, and being 78 years old, we might think that he was ripe for retirement in his beloved country Italy, but obedience demanded that he returns to Kenya. Upon arrival he joined the formation team of Allamano theological House in Langata. In 2009 he accepted the appointment by His Eminence John Cardinal Njue as Postulator for the Cause of Beatification of the Servant of God Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga. As part of his duties as Postulator he traveled to Rome on 28 May this year and returned to Nairobi on 30 July. Unfortunately during his stay in Italy he had developed a serious bronchopneumonia. Unaware of the gravity of his state he decided not to postpone his return to Kenya. On 31^st July he was taken to The Nairobi Hospital. The infection of the lungs was already very extensive and all the care afforded to him during 12 long days proved ineffective. He returned to the Father’s House in the early hours of Friday 12 August. On 17^th August he was buried in IMC cemetery (Mathari - Nyeri). The farewell began with the Holy Mass in Consolata Shrine in Westlands – Nairobi where we noticed the presence of the Cardinal and all the bishops of Kenya. In these days, the Kenyan Episcopal Conference members are in the meeting in Nairobi. As soon as they were informed on the program, they made up their mind to cancel their meeting of 17^th August morning program in view of joining us in Consolata Shrine in Westlands – Nairobi and saying “Good Bye” to our Confrere. The Holy Mass was presided over by the Cardinal John Njue and concelebrated by all the bishops of Kenya and many priests. The Church was full of people: Consolata Sisters, other Sisters of several Congregations and other Christians. The Eucharistic celebration started at 10: 34 am and finished around 13: 27 pm. The cardinal John Njue praised the Lord for the outstanding work done by our Confrere, the late Fr. Anthony Bellagamba and prayed the Lord to grant to him eternal rest in His Kingdom. In this vein, Fr. Cellana Franco, Regional Superior, also thanked the Lord for the outstanding missionary work done by Fr. Anthony Bellagamba and thanked the Kenyan Episcopal Conference by the presence of the Cardinal John Njue and the bishops without forgetting priests, sisters and all the people who joined us. According to Fr. Franco Cellana, since Consolata Missionaries have been serving people in Consolata Shrine, this was the first occasion to notice the presence of the Cardinal and all the bishops during the Eucharistic Celebration. After the Mass in the Shrine, it was another journey towards Nyeri where our Confrere, Fr. Anthony Bellagamba, got his eternal rest. But before being buried, another Holy Mass was said and presided over by Nyeri Archdiocese Vicar General in view of giving the opportunity to those who did not attend the Holy Mass in Consolata Shrine in Nairobi-Westlands. After this, Fr. Franco Cellana did the burial ceremony and lastly our Confrere, Fr. Anthony Bellagamba was accompanied to his eternal place. The ceremony was ended by a special moment of conviviality (Lunch) which was organized by the IMC Kenyan region through the community of Mathari Seminary Propedeutic. In general, everything was wonderful and well organized! Thanks be to God.

A spiritual and missionary giant

It would be unfair to try and depict here in a few words Fr. Anthony Bellagamba’s spiritual and missionary stature. However, he was certainly a man for others; he was a great preacher and proclaimer of the Word of God. Our former General Superior Fr. Peter Trabucco with whom he worked in the government of the Institute for six years describes him as follows: “I could count on his fraternity, collaboration, and support. Gifted with a rich intelligence he never imposed on others his vast cultural curriculum. I remember him also as a man of prayer: he had the habit of sitting in his office, lighting a candle, and beginning his reflections with the Word of God in his hands”. His love for contemplation and reflection enabled him to write in the early 1990s, while lecturing at CHIEA, three books: one entitled Marriage Enrichment, about Living the Beatitudes in Married Life, the second on entitled The Mission of the Church, as a reflection and commentary on the Encyclical Redemptoris Missio of Pope John Paul II, and the third entitled Mission and Ministry… in the Global Church, on the challenge of globalization to the missionary activity of the Church. The first two of these books bear the imprimatur of Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga.

Fr. Anthony Bellagamba’s life of self-giving on behalf of the spread of the Gospel in Africa, America and Europe, calls to our minds the Lord’s praise of the enterprising servant in the Gospel of Matthew (25:21): “Well done, my good and faithful servant! Come; share your master’s joy!” Thanks to Fr. Tobias de Oliveira, Imc, IMC Kenyan regional Secretary, for giving me some information with regard to Fr. Anthony Bellagamba’s life.

May the soul and the souls of all the faithful departed

through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen