SALT LAKE CITY — Father Albert Ndepachio Kileo, ALCP, was recalled as a hardworking, devoted missionary priest during memorial services.
Fr. Kileo died Jan. 7 after an accidental fall in the Saint Anthony of Padua Parish rectory.
A member of the Apostolic Life Community of Priests in the Opus Spiritus Sancti, Fr. Kileo was ordained a priest June 28, 1992 at Christ the King Cathedral in Moshi, Tanzania by Bishop Amedeus Msarikie. After serving in Tanzania for several years, he arrived in the Diocese of Salt Lake City in 2001, where he ministered at St. Joseph Parish in Ogden, St. Helen Parish in Roosevelt, where he also cared for the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Mission, and St. James the Greater Parish in Vernal before being assigned to St. Anthony of Padua Parish. For five years Fr. Kileo also served as Dean of the Eastern Deanery.
A funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 18 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church. Fr. Arokia Dass David, pastor of Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish and associated missions, presided; concelebrating were Fr. Andrzej Skrzypiec, pastor of St. Olaf Parish in Bountiful, and two priests from the ALCP: Fr. John Minde and Fr. Lucas Kimario. Fr. Kimario ministers at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Las Vegas and Fr. Minde at St. Francis of Assisi in Las Vegas.
Among those in the standing-room-only congregation were people from Vernal and Roosevelt, where Fr. Kileo had ministered.
With “great kindness and energy he offered his very life for the sake of the people of God in the Church of Utah,” Fr. David noted of Fr. Kileo, adding that Fr. Kileo celebrated more than 1,000 Masses in Helper.
At the conclusion of the Mass, Fr. Minde thanked the diocese on behalf of his superiors in the ALCP, his brother priests in the order, and Fr. Kileo’s family. He also thanked the St. Anthony parishioners “for the way you accepted my brother Albert,” adding that the comments he received before the Mass broke his heart because of the sentiments expressed by the parishioners.
Additional services were held Jan. 19 and Jan. 20 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.
At the Jan. 19 vigil, Fr. Kenneth Vialpando, the diocesan vicar for clergy, commended Fr. Kileo’s service to the Church.
“Fr. Albert’s whole life and priestly ministry was a season of Advent as he prepared first of all for the birth of Christ, second of all for his second coming, and third of all for the Lord to call him home,” Fr. Vialpando said, referring to the fact that Fr. Kileo was able to celebrate the four weeks of Advent and the 12 days of Christmas before dying on the weekend of the Epiphany.
During his 30 years as a priest, Fr. Albert preached the message of Jesus, “and this is the final message that he had within his mind, heart and soul at the time of his death. … He proclaimed the message of Christ the King being the king of the Jews, the king of the gentiles and the king of the whole world,” Fr. Vialpando said.
Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided at the Jan. 20 funeral Mass. Among those concelebrating were members of the ALCP: Fr. John Zacharia Minde and Fr. Lucas Kimaro from the Diocese of Las Vegas, Fr. Andrew Siasa from the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Fr. Theobald Weria, from the Diocese of St. Petersburgh, Fr. Constance Beda Swai from Sacred Heart Parish in Idaho and Fr. Petro Ngunguru from the Diocese of Fargo.
Bishop Solis recalled Fr. Kileo as a faithful servant and a dedicated priest.
“In my six years in this diocese I found Fr. Kileo to be a big blessing from God to our local Church and the mission of evangelization,” the bishop said. “He was a missionary priest who lovingly embrace his missionary vocation with strong commitment, obedience, humility, gentleness and admirable simplicity.”
Recalling his visit to the community in Helper to extend his sympathy for the passing of Fr. Kileo, the bishop said, “I could see the tears in their eyes. I felt their deep sadness from their loss. … I heard from them their great admiration for this spiritual father, for a dedicated pastor, a patient teacher and a dependable friend. … They have embraced him as their own family,” Bishop Solis said, and thanked the parishioners for their love to Fr. Kileo.
Bishop Solis recalled how Fr. Kileo never hesitated to drive as many miles as needed to extend his ministry and evangelization throughout the diocese.
“Fr. Kileo became an instrument of grace, inspiration and encouragement to others,” the bishop added, and he extended the diocese’s condolences to Fr. Kileo’s family and to the Apostolic Life Community of Priests in the Opus Spiritus Sancti.
Fr. Kileo was preceded in death by his father, Anthony Peter Kileo. He is survived by his mother, Severa John Kileo; brothers Benedict Anthony and Emmanuel Anthony; and sisters Gaudencia Anthony, Aurea Anthony, Levina Anthony, Mary Anthony, Benedicta Anthony and Daria Anthony.
The burial of Fr. Kileo will take place in his native Tanzania, East Africa.
Marie Mischel contributed to this story.
Stay Connected With Us