Cameroonian Priest Mourned as a Hero After Drowning During Pastoral Trek

In the Diocese of Mamfe, Cameroon, the faithful are mourning the loss of Father Carol Tchinda Nguito, a 37-year-old priest who died in the line of duty on July 31, drowning while crossing a river during a pastoral mission. His passing has been described as a heroic sacrifice, the ultimate act of love from a priest who lived entirely for his people.

Bishop Aloysius Fondong Abangalo of Mamfe led the funeral Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral, where he paid a moving tribute to the young priest, whose life and ministry had already begun to bear deep fruit in one of the diocese’s most remote corners.

According to Crux, the bishop said Fr. Carol died “with his boots on,” doing what he loved most, shepherding the people of God. His sudden death, the bishop added, was like “a power outage at night, a plunge into darkness… one minute the light is shining… then, without the slightest warning, we are plunged into darkness.”

Fr. Carol had been appointed in June 2023 to the newly created Christian community of Tabongkwa, a place once marked by spiritual and social desolation. But in just a year, he had transformed it into what the bishop called “a paradise.” His approach was simple yet powerful: constant prayer, tireless service, and a deep love for the people he served.

Born in September 1986, Fr. Carol was no stranger to hardship. Orphaned at a young age, he took on the responsibility of raising his younger siblings. That early experience of fatherhood, Bishop Abangalo said, shaped the kind of priest he became—one whose sense of care and responsibility flowed from lived experience.

He worked with his hands to support his seminary formation, even selling produce and apples. Bishop Abangalo, who had once been his seminary lecturer, remembered him as “a valuable and available seminarian,” Crux reported.

“He was a prayer warrior,” the bishop shared, “praying the Stations of the Cross and meditating on the Passion of Christevery day.” Even in his final days, he had shared a prayer calendar for August with fellow clergy, encouraging unity through shared devotion and spiritual solidarity.

“He believed that faith can only be strengthened if all clergy walk in the same direction.”

The bishop recalled how Fr. Carol had asked him to create a WhatsApp group where priests could share novenas and holy prayers, a small but profound gesture reflecting his desire to foster fraternity among clergy.

Though his time in Tabongkwa was short, his impact was unforgettable. The local parish council once told the bishop, “He loves his work. He loves us. And we love him.” His joy, especially when he was among children, was infectious.

“Fr. Carol was known in his family and in his parish as a man of peace and reconciliation,” the bishop added.
“Even in the most troubling times, he remained a gentle presence. He truly lived as an ambassador of peace.”

In his closing words to the mourning community, as reported by Crux, Bishop Abangalo offered consolation and challenge, “You have lost a pastor, a father, a brother, and a friend. But rest assured, the same God who sent him to you will not abandon you… You now have an intercessor in heaven.”

“Fr. Carol was a hero,” the bishop said. “May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Peace and Help of Christians, intercede for him, that God may grant him eternal rest in heaven, our true home of peace.”