Team

Father Vincent H. Bulus

Father Vincent H. Bulus was born on December 26, 1971 in the village of FadiaGhugah Kaduna State, Nigeria in West Africa. He is from a large family of 18 children: 12 from his mother’s side, 6 from his step-mother’s side.

Education was a very important part of Father Bulus’s life from an early age. He went to grade school in Fadia-Yazonoom, college at St. Mary’s Secondary School, minor seminary at St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary (Zaria Kaduna State) and major seminary at St. Augustine Major Seminary (KatakoGada-Biyu. Jos Platue State).

Father Bulus quickly began applying what he learned to the practical and tangible situations of his world. As a seminarian, trained by Archbishop P.Y. Jatau, he worked in Kaduna Archdiocese – which consists of Kano Diocese, Zaria Diocese, part of Jos Archdiocese, and part of Mina Diocese – doing pastoral work, teaching and administering the work of God in preparation for the priesthood.

He entered the Augustinian Monastery (Jos Platue State) in formation to be a monk. Father Bulus is grateful to Sr. Mary Bulus who is his elder sister, Fr. Patrick Adekola who was his professor and spiritual director, and Fr. Emmanuel Patrick who continues to be his mentor and guide. After his training he was ordained a deacon in 1995. As a deacon he worked in Kaduna Archdiocese, Kafanchan Diocese (which was formally under Kaduna Archdiocese) and here he touched so many lives by his words and deeds, and his actions were so inspiring to many people. Even small children were touched by him. Father Bulus says: “Children saw me so small, they thought they too could become priests!” Today, many of those boys are priests because they followed the example of Father Bulus who never saw his smallness in stature a condition to limit his ability to reach great heights.

On July 13, 1996 Vincent Bulus was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ. He was immediately posted to St. Kizito Parish (Mariri in Kafanchan Diocese) as a pastor. Later he was transferred to Maria Assumpta Parish (MabushiKafanchan Diocese-Kaduna State), St. Charles Lwanga Parish (Fadan-Karshi-Kafanchan Diocese-Kaduna State), and Holy Family (Gidan-Bako) Kafanchan Diocese-Kaduna State.

There arose a need to build a new school and Father Bulus’ talents were recognized by the bishop, who decided to post him a second time to St. Kizito Parish in Mariri. He started a school from Kindergarten to college. Today, this is one of the best schools in the entire Diocese of Kafanchan. It has graduated hundreds of excellently trained members of the church of Nigeria, global citizens and leaders for the future of our world.

In December of 2003 Father Bulus received a mission to study linguistics in Germany, with a focus in German and German culture. As a student in Germany, Father worked in two parishes, St. Thomas Morus and St. Norbert (Schneidermüeller, Strasse) Müenster. He was very committed to his priestly work and studies, graduating with a diploma in German language.

Father Bulus loves learning, but learning is not enough to bring him great joy. His greatest love and joy is that of being a priest and celebrating the Mass. In every mission Father Bulus has received, he is able to tirelessly bring together his great loves of learning and priesthood.

Father Bulus received offers of scholarships to pursue his doctorate from several countries: Canada, the Netherlands, Austria, and America. After discussion with his bishop, he finally decided to come to America, and on December 28, 2005, Father Bulus left for the United States.

Father Bulus studied hard and graduated with two Masters degrees in Higher Education Administration and Educational Leadership from St. Cloud University (Minnesota). As a full-time student in Minnesota and North Dakota, Father provided his priestly ministry as needed in many parishes where God called him to serve.

In 2008 Father Bulus received a scholarship, having a 4.0 GPA, to pursue his PhD in Higher Education Administration. On December 14, 2012 he graduated with a PhD as a Doctor of Philosophy. He has gone for his Optional Practical Training in New York. While in New York he continues to serve as a priest of Kafanchan Diocese in good standing and as a priest of the Archdiocese of New York.

In the New York Father Bulus has worked in the following parishes and ministries:

• parroquial vicar in Church of the Magdalene in Sleepy Hallow, Tarrytown, NY
• full-time chaplain at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY
• St. Endas in Nanuet, Spring Valley, NY
• St. Joseph, Spring Valley, NY
• Our Lady of Grace, Bronx
• St. Ann, Bainbridge, Bronx
• Our Lady of Grace, Bronxwood, NY
• full-time chaplain at Montefiore Hospital and Albert Einstein University Medical Center, with specialty in palliative care
• volunteer chaplain at Bronx Lebanon Hospital and Calvary Hospital, Bronx
• chaplain to St. Ann’s School (grades K-8) Bronx
• volunteer in two nursing homes in Bainbridge, Bronx
• volunteer at St. Margaret Mary Parish with Father Rudolph Gonzalez, a pastor he has known for years, who has been a great supporter, guide, and brother

Father’s ministry is not narrowed down to New York. His work takes him as a spiritual chaplain to many societies and groups, including the Nigerian community in Rockland County, which he co-founded with the blessing and approval of Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York. He is chaplain and spiritual director to a national prayer group of pilgrims called Holy Love which is based in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member of the Southern Kaduna Community in the Diaspora (Sokad) U.S.A. and Canada, and is the Director for priests in diaspora from Kafanchan Diocese in the U.S.A. and Canada.

Father Bulus is currently pursuing certificates in diplomacy and international relations at Seton Hall University in New Jersey and a certificate in bereavement at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. He is pursuing board of chaplaincy certification as a registered member of the Association of Professional Catholic Chaplains.

Before his mother died, he made her a promise that he would do something with his life. In her memory and to honor her, Father Bulus has begun a global foundation called Hope Yet Welfare Center for Empowerment, in partnership with PEPFAR (U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), to provide hope for the less fortunate. The Holy Love prayer group has been a great partner in our work through prayer and contributions through annual fund raising.

Father Bulus is filled with gratitude to his family, especially his father and mother, his step-mother and siblings who are all in Africa. Their love has immensely supported my priesthood.

Father Bulus continues always to serve the church of God – the universal Catholic Church – with love, humility, commitment, dedication, and with sincerity of purpose. He is blessed with good friends everywhere he goes, both Christians and non-Christians, people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs. This is because of his charism to respect everyone. He is a people-person and likes to see people succeed in life. He is generous to a fault.

Father Bulus says, “The best moment of my life is when I am celebrating Mass, lifting all people’s intentions to God, as a human being, as a Christian and as a priest. I pray for myself so that God will help me be the best priest after Christ’s own heart.”

PROF. U. JOY OGWU

Born August 22, 1946, Ambassador Uche Joy Ogwu has recently completed a two term tenure of eight years (2008 – 2016) as Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the United Nations. She served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2006 – 2007). In her professional capacity as Professor of Political Science and International Relations, she served as the First female Director-General of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Think-Tank – The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) (2001-2006).

In January 2002, she was appointed a member of the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, culminating in her appointment as the First African Chair of the Board from January 2006 – July 2007. As a member of the Presidential Advisory Council of Nigeria on International Relations from October 2000-2006, she contributed to the advancement of Nigeria’s foreign policy issues.

Her first book, Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: Alternative Futures, published by Macmillan (1986), became a classic for the study of foreign policy in Nigeria’s institutions of higher learning. Among her numerous

honours, Professor Ogwu was conferred with an award of OFR – Officer of the Federal Republic; for exemplary contribution to Nigeria. She served as the First President of the First Executive Board of the newly created entity – UN Women – United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women. She was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to serve as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) from 1 st January, 2010 to December 31, 2015. On the 1 st of January, 2014, she unprecedentedly led Nigeria’s delegation to the UN Security Council for the second successive tenure. She served as President of the security Council four times – first in July 2010, October 2011, April 2014 and August 2015, making her the first Ambassador of the Elected Member States of the Security Council to set this record. Since 2008, she has served as Chair of the Special Committee of Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) and was re-elected for the 7 th consecutive time in February, 2016. In 2011, she was elected the First African President of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons. In this capacity, she led the 193 Member States of the UN in September 2012 to adopt a landmark consensus Outcome Document. This momentous achievement has been widely acclaimed as a major diplomatic accomplishment for Nigeria, Africa and humanity. A book, on this accomplishment, titled, The Anatomy of a Consensus was released in December 2015.

She currently serves on the board of Trustees of the Olusegun Obansanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

She has been honoured with various awards such as the “Spirit of the United Nations Award” and “UN Ambassador’s Biblical Values Award” by the National Bible Association for her modest contribution to the service of God and humanity.

Additional information available upon request.

Anthony P. De Angelis (Tony)

Tony is a graduate of Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens NY. He attended St. Francis University in Loretto PA and graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. Tony spent two years in the United States Army and was discharged in 1969. He began his career with then one of the big eight accounting firms, and was admitted into the partnership in 1981. He obtained his CPA in 1972. He worked in both the New York and Boston Office and retired in June of 2007. Since then he has been working with one of the international firms.

Tony is a member if the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and The Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountancy.

He currently resides in George Town Grand Cayman and spends time in New York with his children and grandchildren. He attends church at St. Raymond’s parish in Lynbrook NY and St. Ignatius parish in George Town, Grand Cayman.

Lisa DeAngelis bio

Lisa is a graduate of Immaculata High School in Somerville, NJ. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Loyola University Baltimore, MD in 1992. Her post graduate work came from St. John’s University in Queens, NY where she received Master’s Degrees in Special Education and Behavioral Analysis. Her career began teaching 5 th and 6 th grade In Prince Georges County, MD and at St.

Mary Gate of Heaven in Queens, NY. She spent 2 years teaching Resource Room K-2 in Somerset, NJ. Lisa spent 8 years as a service provider and supervisior of Early Intervention programs for children diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Presently, she is employed by Malverne School District as a High School Special Education teacher. She is also the Special Education Department’s Testing Coordinator and G.I.R.L.S. Club Advisor which promotes female empowerment.

Lisa spent many years coaching St. Raymond’s CYO basketball and softball teams as well as travel teams.

She also coached basketball at the high school & collegiate level.

Lisa resides in Lynbrook, NY with her daughters where they are members of St. Raymond’s Parish.