Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., appointed new global President of Holy Cross Family Ministries.

Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., appointed new global President of Holy Cross Family Ministries.

The Editor In Chief of Ugandan Catholics Online, Reverend Father Fred Jenga, CSC has been appointed the global President of Holy Cross Family Ministries (HCFM). Founded by Fr Patrick Peyton, CSC who was known for his famous motto “The Family that Prays Together Stays Together” Holy Cross Family Ministries extensively used media to support the spiritual well-being of families throughout the world. HCFM is present in 17 countries around the world, operates 27 offices globally, and also runs a film production company in Hollywood California.

“It is humbling to be appointed to this important global ministry. In whatever corner of the world we live, we know how our families are challenged. I am humbled to be invited to offer leadership to a ministry I deeply care about” Fr Jenga recently said.

Father Jenga, has been a priest of the Congregation for 17 years. Prior to being appointed as the new president of HCFM, Father Fred has served as a corporate member on the board of directors for 5 years. He also served in a pastoral role as Regional Director of Holy Cross Family Ministries in East Africa for 7 years where he helped lay the foundation for the dynamic growth in ministry outreach to families and youth. He introduced digital and in-person mission events to help families pray and grow spiritually. He built several teams of lay people, teams that have helped the ministry grow in East Africa. He also creatively educated and helped the members of Holy Cross in East Africa to learn about and embrace the ministry as an important part of the Congregation’s efforts.

The first Peyton Prayer Guild Chapters for children were formed under Father Jenga’s leadership. He developed a program that brought children in schools and parishes together to learn the Rosary, pray for their families and learn about the life of Father Patrick Peyton. This program has grown and now thousands of children are participating.

Father Jenga has multiple degrees in Communications, including San Francisco State University, Makerere University, Kampala, as well as a Bachelor of Theology from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, and a Bachelor of Philosophy from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. Father Jenga recently completed a Doctorate in Communication from the University of Texas. He is an active researcher in the area of Communication and Religion; and he has published and presented several papers at academic conferences.

Father Jenga was born in Uganda, where he grew up on the banks of the River Nile and Lake Victoria, in the Ugandan district of Jinja. Father Jenga speaks several languages, including his ethnic language, Lusoga, as well as Luganda, Rutooro, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda.