Remembering Fr. Richard Leone Orota

Monday 7 August this year was a very sad day when we received the news of the death of Father Richard Orota. The agony for many of us was due to the fact that Fr. Orota, after being ill for a long time, for almost two years, he recovered and his health was improving day by day. We all had hope that he would recover completely and continue his mission as before. Many of us met him during his Silver Jubilee celebrations held at Bl. Isdor Bakhanja Boko Parish on July 1st and later during the Provincial Electoral Assembly in Dodoma. Particularly, many of his close friends had seen him after the Electoral Assembly when he passed by almost every house of the Congregation thanking them for their prayers when he was sick and inviting them to celebrate with him at his home in Moshi. However there is nothing we can do, except to accept God's will, because as Prophet Isaiah says: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. (Isa 55:8-9). The God who had healed him and brought him back  was the one who needed him to celebrate his Silver Jubilee in service as a Priest in Heaven.

We thank God for the gift of life and the vocation of Fr. Richard Leone Orota. God gave him many good gifts that he shared with many people who lived and did mission with him. Fr. Orota was amusing and cheerful even when he was going through a difficult health situation. He performed his apostolic duties professionally and diligently, he had a unique gift of humor. He cherished order and neatness like St. Gaspar, he also had a special eye for taking care of the environment, planting flowers and trees. The sign of this talent of his is evident in all the communities where he served. May he rest in peace.

Fr. Felix Mushobozi, cpps