Prayer life

Fr. Phillip Scheffer was a very prayerful priest. He was a man of great faith, who instructed his Christians to be faithful to the Catholic faith. He spent long hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. His dedication to the Eucharist and his good example inspired many of his catechumens to want to be like him. It was said by an interviewee that “his faith was cultivated in other Christians who left their old ways, such as the use of charms and practicing witchcraft. They brought their charms in pots (called ‘Asumbi’) to the Church which were burned after prayers of exorcism.

One of the interviewees testified as follows: “I did not see Fr. Phillip Scheffer, I can only say what I heard from the Pillars, that is, the first six sisters: he was fatherly, dedicated, prayerful, eucharistic person, loved the Holy Rosary, contemplative, adorer of the Blessed Sacrament; and all-round Christ Centered. He loved the poor.”

Fr. Phillip Scheffer taught the young girls who wanted to dedicate their lives to God, how to pray and worked out a daily prayer program for them. He gave conferences on how to be faithful to God and encouraged the young girls to do God’s will in all ways. He encouraged them to listen to God speaking in their hearts revealing to them His will as He had done to him. He would tell the ‘Bawezi’ “What I have taught you is not enough, the rest, the Spirit of God will reveal to you in your hearts through prayer.”  In this way, he encouraged them to listen to the voice of God and do His will.

He loved the Rosary and could be seen praying it around the Church. He had a spirit of silence and cultivated this same spirit in the lives of the ‘Bawezi’. Prayer was his stronghold and helped him to endure suffering and rebellion even when he was accused of ‘marrying’ the daughters of the local people. These were the girls who had declared their desire to be ‘priests’ and lived in a structure he had set up for them in the parish compound. He was always in Church by 5.00 am to pray with the ‘Bawezi’ and the young girls and boys who were in the Parish.

One interviewee said that Fr. Phillip Scheffer had great power in prayer. One day, a man received Holy Communion and took it to his friend. Unfortunately, it fell down and started to bleed. The catechist called for the priest (Fr. Philip Scheffer). When the priest saw the bleeding Host he called the Christians and asked them to kneel down, and pray for forgiveness and Gods mercy for what had happened. As they remained silent in prayer, blood started going back and the host became as it was.’

Another story: The original Asumbi Catholic Church was near the College.  The people at Asumbi did not want it. They set fire on it and when Fr. Scheffer heard of it, he ran into the burning church and took the preserved Host to his house. However, in as much as the Church was a grass thatched house, the altar and sacristy never got burnt.  He loved the Eucharist and would die for love of Jesus.

An interviewee who worked in one of the Institutions called ‘Fr. Phillip Scheffer’ testified as follows: I happen to have worked in the institution call “Fr. Scheffer”. When it started, things could just not move. I visited the grave of Fr. Scheffer every day on my way to school. There were many challenges with regards to the establishment and development of the School.  Through his intercession, new developments unfolded for the school, until eventually, it was established and developed in its current location. It is now one of the best boy’s schools in Homa-Bay County.

Apostolate

Fr. Philip Scheffer was a dedicated priest who sacrificed so much of his time to reach out to all his Christians in South Kavirondo, the present Homa-Bay and   Migori Counties. He would travel from Asumbi to Tonga or Karungu, and come back to Asumbi, worn out. Long distances did not deter him from doing his apostolate. It is said that “he was ever available to meet the people; and to care for the poor and sick. He cared for all without discrimination.  Not only did he take care of Catholics but also SDAs and other non- Catholics. He loved all.

He was a missionary at heart, who availed himself for his pastoral duties: celebrating the Eucharist, anointing the sick and the dying, in the villages.  Apart from exercising his priestly ministry, to which he was dedicated, Fr. Phillip Scheffder went beyond this. He acted as a nurse and sent a young woman to Uganda to learn mid-wifery in order to come back and help the women of the area and also to teach the ‘bawezi’ how to administer basic treatment to the sick. He was also a farmer and ensured all their foodstuffs came from the farm. He loved the environment, and planted trees in the parish compound.

He generously shared the proceeds of his farm and donations with the needy. He was nicknamed ‘Odero’ because he stored farm produce in a local storage facility known as ‘Dero’ and from which he distributed food to the poor. Many experienced him as very kind and patient; very fatherly, polite, and very tolerant. He was also an artistic builder and literally participated in making bricks for the construction of the Church and convent; that is St. Teresa’s Novitiate.

He was a visionary.  He constructed a big church in Asumbi, at a time when there were very few Christians. Apparently, he foresaw the growth of the Local Church. Even when he planned for the construction of the Convent, it was a big structure which could cater for the future growth of the congregation. He encouraged people to leave their old ways. At Asumbi, people left their old ways- that is, witchcraft. They brought their pots containing charms to him. These were broken and burnt after prayers of excorcism by Fr. Phillip Scheffer. 

One of the interviewees said: ‘Jaduong ne okawo tich matek mar konyo jogo modhier, pudhe, muofini, mond liete- kendo mane yudo kadak dala tek, to ne okelo odak go e Kanisa…koro baba ne en gi chuny maler mar konyo joma