Father John Jatau, the parish priest at St. Columba Church, has left Durango.
“God is great, all the time” was his greeting. His baseball hat said the same. You had to know him to appreciate the impact of those words. His voice boomed, yet somehow smiled at the same time.
Pentecost, his last service in Durango, also happened to be my birthday. Father John walked through the church offering special blessings to those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. He personally greeted visitors and asked each where they were from. He even asked a visitor from Louisiana whether he had brought any gumbo to church.
I mention Father John because he flew back to his home in Nigeria last week, a nation where armed bandits, ISIS and Boko Haram have targeted Christian clergy. Priests have been kidnapped and held for ransom. St. Columba parishioners said goodbye to Father John because the United States did not extend his visa.
In his final sermon, he reminded everyone that the language of the world is love, not anger or hate. Through love, he said, we can create peace by embracing the gifts of different nations and cultures and helping one another.
His farewell was beautiful, strong and filled with optimism. To lessen my sadness, I rewatched his sermon on YouTube, but I am still sad. Father John was no criminal, and certainly not among the “worst of the worst.” He simply cared for and loved the people he met in Durango.
Barb Day
Durango
