By Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
The Pontifical Mission Societies USA (TPMS USA) has announced the appointment of Father Augustine Dada, a priest of the Diocese of Ondo, Nigeria, as the new Vice President of the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies dedicated to supporting the formation and education of seminarians, religious novices, and clergy in the Church’s 1,130 mission territories.
Monsignor Roger J. Landry, National Director of TPMS USA, described Father Dada as “a gift to the Church in mission territories and to the Church in the United States.” He emphasized that Father Dada’s own seminary formation was made possible through scholarships from the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, making him not only a leader but also a living testimony of the Society’s impact.
Ordained in 2009, Father Dada has served in Nigeria and the United States, most recently as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Elmsford, New York. In 2016, Pope Francis appointed him as a Missionary of Mercy, a role he has embraced in both pastoral ministry and missionary outreach. He has also been active in development work, linking his home Diocese of Ondo with communities abroad.
In his new role, Father Dada will help guide TPMS USA’s mission to support seminarians and religious novices worldwide, particularly through scholarships, infrastructure projects, faculty development, and accompaniment for those preparing for priestly and consecrated life. Of the 201,000 seminarians globally, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle currently supports 82,500 with full scholarships.
Father Dada expressed gratitude and enthusiasm for the appointment, saying: “It is a privilege to serve the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, whose mission is so close to my own heart. I know from experience what it means for a young seminarian or religious to rely on the generosity of the universal Church. To now help provide that same hope and support to the next generation of missionaries is both humbling and deeply inspiring.”
Founded in 1889 by Jeanne Bigard and her mother Stéphanie, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle has long been committed to ensuring that future priests and religious from some of the poorest and most remote regions of the world receive the formation they need to serve faithfully. Monsignor Landry noted that Father Dada’s journey — from seminary in Nigeria to ministry in the United States and now to national leadership — embodies the missionary exchange of gifts at the heart of the Church.
With this appointment, TPMS USA strengthens its commitment to forming indigenous pastors and consecrated men and women who will serve as fruits of the faith, signs of hope, and witnesses to Christ’s love in mission territories.