May 27, 2026

By Darcy Fargo
Editor

“I’m really happy and excited,” said Deacon Dennis M. Ombongi. “At long last, I’m almost there! I’m ready to work to serve the people of God. Being in the seminary for eight years, it’s been a blessing. But leaving, my classmates and I, we were just so happy to be done seminary. It’s really a good feeling to be so close to being ordained and to serve.”

Deacon Ombongi is scheduled to be ordained by Bishop Terry R. LaValley at 11 a.m. on May 30 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg along with Deacon Michelet Boncoeur and Deacon Tyler M. Fitzgerald.

“I look forward to serve as a priest,” he said. “I’m going to Malone. I’ve never been to Malone. I’m so excited to work with Father Scott Seymour and to learn more as a new priest with him. I’m excited to come to know the people in the Malone area, the parishioners, and to step into the life of the people – celebrating Mass, offering the sacraments, seeing people who are sick at the hospital – working with them in each day.”

Born in Kenya, East Africa, Deacon Ombongi served for a time with a religious community, the Missionaries of the Poor. The deacon said he’s excited to have opportunities to serve individuals in need at the thriving outreach center operated by St. André Bessette Parish in Malone.

“It was my privilege to work with in Kenya, Uganda and Jamaica working with people – the poorest of the poor, people who had no one to take care of them,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to serving in Malone and helping others.”

Deacon Ombongi said he strives to follow Christ’s call in Matthew 25 to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, serving Christ in the least of His people.

“Serving the people of God is really serving God,” he said.

It was that service aspect that also led him to enjoy his year in the diaconate, a ministry devoted to service.

“Deacons serve that one academic year in seminary – all of us are assigned each to a different parish,” Deacon Ombongi said. “I was assigned in Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Pittsburgh – about 20 minutes from the airport – serving four churches, Sts. Peter and St. Paul, St. Cecelia, Holy Family and St. Felix. It was nine Masses – a vibrant parish, really busy. As a deacon, it was an opportunity for me to serve – preaching every weekend, to mingle with so many people and learning from my experience, especially helping the pastor in the preparation for marriage and baptisms. It was a wonderful experience for me as a deacon.”

Deacon Ombongi noted that his family, still living in Kenya, will be unable to attend his ordination in person.

“Because of immigration issues, they will be unable to attend,” he said. “Denied visas for reasons we don’t know. But for all these years, all of you are my family here – made me feel at home. I really want to thank the people of Massena. They have always been my family, coming back from school – whether for break or for summer – they were always so welcoming. My family will be far away and watching virtually, but I know I have a spiritual family, and that family is all here. I also have a lot of support from the bishop, the priests and the parishioners. I’m not alone.”

Deacon Ombongi will celebrate his first Mass as Father Dennis Ombongi at Sacred Heart Church in Massena at 9:30 a.m. on May 31, the day after his ordination.

“I’m so excited to be on the altar of God serving the people of God,” he said. “I’ve been preparing for my first Mass and learning all the sacraments. I am looking forward to the day, and I thank God and the people of God who have prayed for me. I thank our bishop, Bishop Terry R. LaValley, Father Chris Carrara (diocesan Vicar for Clergy and director of Seminarians), the DOVS (Diocese of Ogdensburg Vocations Society) who have done an amazing, amazing job. I just want to thank everyone for taking care of me for six years.”

As he moves through the last days preparing for ordination, Deacon Ombongi said he’s been praying with John 15:16, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you” and Matthew 28:19, “go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.”

“I can say that I believe this Scripture is real,” he said. “Many times, I have had challenges or questions, it helps give me that courage. It was God who chose me. He appointed me and called me as Dennis. ‘Go and bear fruit, fruit that will remain, so that everything you ask of the Father in my name, He may give you. Always run to Christ… And we are all called to go wherever God is calling us, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These are amazing verses!”