Dear Knight of Colombo, Wm. Chrenka,

May Peace and Grace of the Risen Lord be with you! I am a comboni missionary stationed in southern Uganda mission from where with my Christian community we pray for you. You do not know me and yet we meet often during the celebration of Holy Mass when I regularly celebrate for Sir Knight James E. Godat who has been called to heaven to receive the merited reward for the fulfilled duties on earth as a Knight of Colombo.

I am familiar with the great work the Knights of Colombo. do in the field of evangelization and missionary work in support of the local churches, the universal church and our Holy father, the Pope. A few years ago I met the knights of Colombo in our community of Montclair in New Jersey when I celebrated Eucharist for your members. From across the altar, I noted the great devotion and celebrated faith of the knights present and this prompted me to know much of the Knights of Colombo from my then superior, Rev. Fr. Pasquino Panato now in London.

After some years, I was blessed to be the priest to whom Mother Mary Salvador and the good passionist nuns in Ellisville gave the two chalices to bring along with me to Africa. One of the chalices was given-to a newly ordained priest Rev. Fr. Viateur Gitongana, now teaching in a seminary in Rwanda. The second chalice, after obtaining permission from my major superiors, has remained for me to use as a personal chalice. This is rather contrary to the religious way of doing in our order of missionaries. We have everything in common. A comboni priest gets on the day of ordination a chalice as a gift from his own biological mother. Our institute allows its priests to use that very chalice as a personal one. From June 26,1994, I had not yet got ~ personal chalice. My parents have been taken to heaven a few weeks before my ordination. I write aU these details to point out to you and to the knights of Colombo what it means in my life of a missionary priest to celebrate the Eucharist every moment with devotion and spiritual connection with Sir Knight James E. Godat. May you please allow me to extend my gratitude to all the Knights of Colombo, catholic family.

My God bless and reward you! Fr. Jean Bosco Gakirage, mccj.