Troy priest marks 40th anniversary

He has served as the order's internal auditor for the past six years, reviewing financial operations and ensuring the responsible use of funds. He also makes periodic visits to various mission regions around the world to assist with accounting procedures.

When not traveling, Father Jones spends three or four days a week assisting at St. Patrick's parish in Troy and celebrating Mass at the Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center.

Ordained in 1962, Father Jones studied the Kiswahili language at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in preparation for work among the Kuria tribe at various parishes in Tanzania (1962-67). He later studied the tribal language, Kikuria, and advanced Kiswahili.

Father Jones established the Makoko Family Leadership Center and served as its director for 16 years (1968-84). The center offered courses in nutrition, health, animal husbandry, farming, village leadership, Christian family living and the Bible.

"It is the small projects that beat famine," said Father Jones. "The people will invest themselves in promising projects and make them work. Africans want to be self-reliant and feed their families."

Father Jones next joined the Maryknoll mission promotion department in Buffalo, where he did fundraising, mission education and recruitment.

He returned to Africa on a special four-year assignment with Catholic Relief Services, the overseas aid agency of American Catholics. He served as director of the country development program in Sierra Leone, where he worked on famine relief (1986-90).

Moving back to the U.S., he served in the Albany Diocese as a chaplain at Troy's Samaritan Hospital (1990-96).

"Sharing our understanding of the Faith with people of another culture, color and language is an opportunity to grow in faith," said Father Jones, reflecting on his mission career. "Through it, we help each other to become better Christians and Catholics, and in the process we help develop the international Catholic Church."

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