My name is Fr. Sylvester Adoga. I came from a very small tribe called Yala in Cross River State, Nigeria. I am the fifth child of ten siblings born to the family of the late Mr. and Mrs. Augustine Adoga.

The desire to become a Catholic priest started when I was around eight years old. Fr. Grey was an Irish priest who baptized me after concluding my two years of catechism classes (RCIA) plus one extra year at age 12. Within this period, I began serving mass with Fr.Grey as an altar boy.

My journey to priesthood is a very long one. If everything had worked out the way I hoped or desired it to be, I should have been probably ordained a priest in my early twenty’s. However, situations and circumstances that were beyond my control hindered my dream for a long time. In those years of
wandering in limbo, I never thought or imagined that one could become a priest in another country other than his country of origin. Coming to the United States was absolutely out of the equation or practically
impossible, or beyond my wildest dream!

In 2013, the Lord made it possible for me to travel to the United States. The then Superior General of the Josephites Society, Fr. William Norvel invited me to the United States to begin their Seminary formation here since the Josephites Society formation in Nigeria will not allow me because of the age limitation and restriction in Nigeria Seminary formation. Before the admission process could begin, another disaster struck again, so I was asked to leave. But before returning to Nigeria, I made some contacts with the Archdiocese of New Orleans. After a year the Archdiocese contacted me that my application was successful. Consequently, I was offered admission to begin my Seminary formation at Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans. I was ordained a Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans on May 30, 2020, at age 46.

All aspects of priestly life and ministry are exciting to me. I am looking forward to my new assignment at St. Dominic.