Ulengabo (Berthold) Mangye, a 30-year-old in his second year of formation, was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo but grew up as a refugee in Tanzania.

Born into a Methodist family, Ulengabo was raised Methodist but converted to Catholicism when he was 16. He made his way to the United States in 2016 and resided in Glendale, AZ, where he attended St. James the Great Parish, until 2019, when he left to discern the priesthood with the Claretian Missionaries in Chicago, IL.

Although he discerned that missionary life was not for him, Ulengabo stayed in Chicago to complete his Bachelor's degree in Philosophy & Sociology at DePaul University.  Upon completing his undergraduate studies, he returned to Phoenix and enrolled as a seminarian in our diocese. Following his service, here at St. Josephine Bakhita, he will move to Texas where he will study Theology, at Oblate School of Theology (OST) in San Antonio, TX.

"Please, keep me and all the seminarians of the Diocese of Phoenix, and those around the world in your prayers as I, too, keep you in mine. May our Blessed Mother, Mary, intercede for us to her son, Jesus Christ, in this journey of life. And may the Almighty God grant us His peace always."