Last Maryknoll missionary in the Philippines returns to the USA

An American Maryknoll missionary in the Philippines for the last 52 years is set to return to his home country on January 29. 

Father James H. Kroeger is the last Maryknoll missionary working in the Philippines to leave the southeast country.

He worked in the Philippines and Bangladesh since 1970.

He was the professor of Systematic Theology, Missiology, and Islam at the Jesuit-run Loyola School of Theology, East Asia Pastoral Institute, and Mother of Life Catechetical Center, all located in Metro Manila.

Father Kroeger also served as the advisor to the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Office of Evangelization and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Commission on Mission. 

For about 35 years, he studied and later taught at the Loyola School of Theology. He was a professor to several bishops, priests, and laypeople, author of many books and articles.

“He volunteered to do missionary work for the farmers in the Philippines, specifically down south in Mindanao. But God had other plans! ‘Be ready for God’s surprises,’” said Jesuit Father Roberto M. Boholst recalling Father Kroeger’s advice to seminarians at Loyola House of Studies during a simple 'Despedida' (farewell) dinner on January 23. 

The Jesuit is Father Kroeger’s former student and a colleague at Loyola School of Theology. 

Father Boholst thanked Kroeger for his dedicated service and for his life of witnessing missionary vocation in the Philippines and Bangladesh.

“It was very good to talk with you during my early days of returning to the Philippines after my decade-long missionary work in East Timor. I am sure you would have loved to stay, but being the last of the Maryknoll Fathers in the Philippines, your Institute (Maryknoll) requires you to return to your beloved home country (USA),” Father Boholst said.

According to Boholst, the staff and students will miss Kroeger’s company and his availability to celebrate Mass. The Loyola School of Theology community will also miss his “expertise in theology and burning passion for the mission.”

Father Kroeger’s superb guidance and mentoring to thesis writers would be missed by many.  But he has done so much already.

“I am sure the Philippine Church has been so blessed with his contribution in many ways. Thank you for inspiring us with your stories and presence,” said Boholst,

“Wishing you a grace-filled transition and a safe journey back to where your missionary life began.”

May he have more chances to write articles and books as he enjoys life back home, added Boholst, a seminary trainer at Loyola House of Studies.

Many other former students of the American priest have all the praise for their mentor, teacher, and formator.

For Father Alberto Catangcatang, another former student, the Maryknoll priest is “a very talented and intelligent theology professor” having wide and in-depth knowledge of subjects he taught.  

Father Elvis Ndihokubwayo, a Burundi missionary priest in the Philippines, said, “We will always be grateful to Kroeger for all we learned from him as a priest, missionary, professor, and person.”

In one of his Facebook posts, Father Kroeger said he is filled with profound gratitude, doing 52 years of mission in the Philippines (1970-2022).

“I have reached the milestone of 77 years (1945-2022). These many years have been filled with God's abundant, overflowing blessings. DEO GRATIAS” (thanks be to God), he said. 

Kroeger was born in Wisconsin, the USA on December 4, 1945, and was ordained a priest on May 17, 1975.

Since his arrival in Asia, he worked in parishes and served mostly in the education-formation ministry of seminarians, religious, catechists, and lay leaders.

He holds both licentiate and doctorate degrees in Missiology (Mission Theology) from the Gregorian University in Rome.

He served as founding president of the Philippines Association of Catholic Missiologists (PACM). Kroeger also offered short courses and seminars to a wide variety of Catholic, ecumenical and interfaith groups. 

He produced numerous theological-missiological-catechetical materials. Some of his books include “Exploring the Priesthood with Pope Francis,” St Pauls, 2017), “Asia’s Dynamic Local Churches” (Claretian and Jesuit Communications, 2014); “Becoming Missionary Disciples” (Pontifical Mission Society, Manila, 2014), “Walking in the Light of Faith” (St. Pauls, 2014); “The Gift of Mission” (Orbis Books, 2013); “A Vatican II Journey: Fifty Milestones” (St Pauls, 2012), “Exploring the Treasures of Vatican II” (Claretian and Jesuit Communications, 2011), and, “Once Upon a Time in Asia: Stories of Harmony and Peace” (ten translation, various publishers and dates).

Maryknoll is a Catholic Society of Apostolic Life of missionary priests and brothers who, for over 100 years, have modeled after the compassion and love of Jesus Christ in reaching out to those in the world who are most in need. They are working in more than 20 countries around the world.

Some 14 years after its founding, in 1926 by James Anthony Walsh, the Maryknoll missionaries came to the Philippines, on the invitation of Manila Archbishop Michael O' Dougherty, to train Filipino Catholic teachers. 

Father James Jay Timothy Thomas Patrick Paul Ferry was the Maryknoll priest who came to the Philippines with the legendary American general Douglas MacArthur. Ferry died of pneumonia last June in Manila at the age of 95.

Meanwhile, the family members and relatives of Father Kroeger are eagerly waiting for him back home in the United States of America.

“Excited to have my uncle Father James Kroeger to be returning to the United States after 52 years of doing God's work in the Philippines,” said Brenda Schroeder Plamann, the niece of the priest.