Father Augustine Dada, a priest of the Diocese of Ondo, Nigeria, has been appointed vice president of the Society of St. Peter the Apostle at The Pontifical Mission Societies USA (TPMS USA), marking a significant new leadership role in the Church’s missionary outreach. The Pontifical Mission Societies USA in New York announced that Father Dada will serve in this position for one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies, which is dedicated to supporting the formation and education of seminarians, religious novices, and clergy in 1,130 mission territories worldwide.

National Director Monsignor Roger J. Landry described Father Dada as “a gift to the Church in mission territories and to the Church in the United States,” noting that he is himself a fruit of the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, having received scholarships that made his seminary formation possible. Here in the Archdiocese of New York, several missionaries bear witness to the love of Christ, their work and training in their mission dioceses supported in a special way through World Mission Sunday, which this year marks its 100th anniversary.

In his new role, Father Dada will help guide TPMS USA’s efforts to support seminarians and religious novices in mission territories through scholarships, seminary infrastructure projects, continuing education for seminary faculty, and accompaniment for those preparing for priestly and consecrated life. Of the 201,000 seminarians worldwide, the Society of St. Peter the Apostle currently supports 82,500 with full scholarships, ensuring that young Churches in some of the poorest and most remote regions have well-formed indigenous pastors and consecrated men and women.

At the parish level, this missionary spirit is also visible in new priestly vocations. Father Rajesh Ravi, who was ordained at St. Augustine’s Church in Larchmont on December 20, 2025, by His Eminence Cardinal Dolan, now begins his priestly ministry among the people of God at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Elmsford, where Father Augustine has served as parochial vicar since 2018.