Fr. Ruffino with a young friend from Moyo Babies Home, a Comboni Missionary ministry in northern Uganda.
Inés San Martín
Inés San Martín is an Argentine journalist who has served as vice president of markeing and communications for the Pontifical Mission Societies USA.
From War-Torn Uganda to Middle America, Fr. Ruffino Ezama Shares His Story
By Inés San Martín
As Fr. Ruffino Ezama concludes his term as Provincial Superior of the North American Province, he reflects on his odyssey from Northern Uganda to leadership in the Comboni Missionaries, while always looking forward to the journey ahead.
Fr. Ruffino Ezama’s journey as a missionary began in the heart of Northern Uganda, a land that welcomed the Comboni Missionaries over a century ago. Born into a community deeply shaped by their presence, his life bears the indelible marks of their service. He was baptized by a Comboni missionary, confirmed by a Comboni bishop, and educated at a school they founded. It was through their example — and the faith of his mother — that he found his calling to share God’s love with the world.
But his journey wasn’t without challenges. Fr. Ruffino lost his father on Christmas Eve, a tragedy that transformed his understanding of faith. “While growing up, I used to think the most important feast in the Church was Christmas, because there was the possibility of having a good meal and drinking a soda. Yet that December 25, when the whole world was around the crib celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, my siblings, mum and relatives were around dad’s casket. Through this sorrow, I came to understand the newly born Jesus, Emmanuel-God with us as a God who is with us all the times of our lives till the end of days.”
Later, he would come to discover that “the most important feast is Easter, when we celebrate the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Consoled by his mother’s unwavering faith, Fr. Ruffino found hope in the promise of Easter and discovered his vocation: to bring life to those experiencing death, whether physical, moral, or spiritual. “As we read in John 10:10, I have come to bring life and life in abundance.”
One formative moment in the life of Fr. Ruffino came from a classmate named Taban, a South Sudanese refugee. When asked how often his family attended Mass, Taban’s response shook Fr. Ruffino: “Once every eight or nine months.” This scarcity of priests and sacraments planted a seed in his heart — a desire to bring the Eucharist and the hope of Christ to those who hunger for it.
Though his faith was strong, Fr. Ruffino acknowledges even today, that one of the biggest challenges he has had to face because of his YES to his call to the priesthood, was “being far from home, family, friends and loved ones. After the death of dad, mum was all for me. My joy was immense in her presence. Yet the moment I joined the minor seminary, I found a loving Mother in Blessed Virgin Mary. Mother Mary gave her only begotten Son for the salvation of the world. My mother offered me to the Church as a missionary with joy.”
“As the missionary is aware that evangelization implies following Christ even to the greatest testimony of love, he accepts situations of persecution and is even ready to unite the sacrifice of his own life to that of Christ,” Fr. Ruffino says, quoting the Rule of the Comboni Missionaries.
Ordained as a priest in 1994, Fr. Ezama has served in various capacities across Africa, including in Uganda and the Togo-Ghana-Benin Province. In January 2020, he made history by becoming the first African Provincial Superior of the North American Province of the Comboni Missionaries, overseeing missions in the United States and Canada. His work reflects the principles of the Society of St. Peter Apostle, which supports the formation of priests and religious in mission territories.
Today, Fr. Ruffino embodies the Comboni Missionaries’ vision of empowering local communities to become agents of change. Whether ministering in Uganda or the United States, his mission is clear: to help others recognize their God-given talents and use them for the good of their neighbors.
Inspired by St. Daniel Comboni’s principle of “save Africa with Africa,” Fr. Ruffino’s missionary endeavors have been centered in empowering the people to whom God has sent you to minister so that they become the change agents of their fellow brothers and sisters. “It becomes a moment of enabling the people to tap on their talents, potentials for the good of others. This applies anywhere I have been sent.”
Sometimes, however, missionaries need a little financial help to be able to help others tap into their talents. For those who may never set foot in mission lands, Fr. Ruffino offers this encouragement: “If you do not go to the missions by giving your lives, go to the missions through your prayers and financial support.” Your contributions make it possible for missionaries like him to bring hope and healing to the most remote corners of the world. Fr. Ruffino’s story invites us to consider how we, too, can share God’s merciful love with others.
Through your support, you are part of a legacy that transforms lives and builds faith, one soul at a time.
