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September 7, 2020
On 2nd September 2020, Fr. Paul Koenig, former Custos of the Capuchin Custody of Arabia, left the Gulf after a ministry of sixteen years in the region. Here is a report from an interview with Fr. Paul shortly before his departure.
A picture of calm and serenity, Fr. Paul Koenig, the former Custos of the Capuchin Custody of Arabia, talks about his next stage in life. It seems like it was only yesterday that he came to the Gulf with his assignment as a Capuchin priest to work in Aramco in Dhahran and minister to the expatriate Catholics who lived in the township. Now, after almost sixteen years of ministry in the region, he plans to head back home to the United States.
Born in a humble family in Wisconsin, Fr. Paul is the last of eight children. When talking about his family, he smiles and cherishes many fond memories. He attributes his first lessons on what it meant to live together and the importance of service to his parents. Later, when he ultimately thought of a life of service in the Church, he says, “That came quite naturally, coming from my experience in my own family”.
His priestly vocation began in the seminary at Milwaukee. After his studies, his first assignment was also in the same city. Later, he ministered as the Vocational Director from 1993-1996 in Wisconsin after which, he was sent back as parish priest to Milwaukee from 1999-2004. Soon after, Fr. Paul was sent to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to minister to the Catholics at the Aramco facility in the city of Dhahran where he remained, for almost ten and a half years.
When asked what he would cherish the most of his experience in Saudi Arabia, he tells us, “The faith of the people was extraordinary.” It is something that touches his heart. The passion in his remarks reveals the deep appreciation he has for the committed faith of the laity he witnessed in the region. He laughs as he reminisces about his ministry and the radical shift he had to undergo from being a priest in the United States to serving in the Gulf. Being the only priest, he would have to administer several baptisms in a year and celebrate up to four masses on the weekends for the faithful present in the facility so that they could receive the Eucharist. Fr. Paul was also given the faculty by Bishop Paul Hinder, then the Apostolic Vicar of the whole of Arabia, to administer the sacrament of confirmation on several occasions. “It was quite a demanding ministry, yet so fulfilling”, he says.
In 2011, Fr. Paul was elected to the Council presiding over the Arabian circumscription of the Capuchins. Three years later, Fr. Paul was elected as Custos, responsible for all the Capuchins in the Arabian Peninsula. A few months later, Fr. Paul moved to the parish of St. Paul’s Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, UAE, which houses the office of the Custody and from where he has exercised his ministry for the last five and a half years.
As Custos, Fr. Paul had to serve the Capuchin brothers in the six countries of the Gulf. With many friars under his responsibility, Fr. Paul did a commendable job of keeping the Franciscan spirit alive under his leadership. He would visit the Capuchin friars across the countries to personally talk about the various issues they faced. He would also attend the annual retreats held by the Northern and Southern Arabian Vicariates and visit the friaries on a regular basis. As Custos, Fr. Paul acted as the representative of the Minister General to the Capuchins and dealt with all administrative matters of the order, working in close coordination with both the two Bishops in Arabia and the provinces of the Capuchins responsible for supplying friars to work in the Gulf.
One of the most memorable moments for Fr. Paul since moving to UAE came as Pope Francis visited the country. He recalls how all the friars, the ministers and the lay people worked hard to get things ready for the Pope, even though the Pope was only there for a brief visit. Being the first visit by a Pope ever in the region and the UAE being the first of the Gulf countries to receive him, it truly was history in the making. “It was a wonderful, faith-filled experience, something that I will never forget”, he said.
When asked about his thoughts about the UAE, Fr. Paul remarks, “The United Arab Emirates is probably the most open of all the Gulf countries. I don’t think that’s an exaggeration. We learned that earlier this week when they went into accord with Israel. This was truly a groundbreaking moment.” He appreciates how the country sets an example for others through their commendable policy of openness and willingness to accept people from different cultures and of course, different religions. “The local Emiratis here are a reflection of that attitude. They are very welcoming.” Going back to Pope Francis’ visit, he reflects with gratitude in the country’s willingness to allow His Holiness to celebrate Mass with multitudes in a Muslim country, the first of its kind.
He also goes on to commend the level of concern and care the UAE has for their people, especially during the pandemic and praised the efforts in containing the outbreak of the virus. “I am very grateful for all that the UAE has done and I’ll always take that with me.”
When inquiring on what he plans to do next, Fr. Paul isn’t sure as he’s yet to receive his next assignment. However, he expects to be stationed in the inner cities of Milwaukee, Chicago or Detroit where the Capuchin friars are heavily involved in social ministry among the people.
As we are coming to a close, Fr. Paul shares his major takeaway from his time in the Gulf. “The faith of the people...it’s something that I’ll never ever forget.” He explains how just “the wonderful ministry here”, as he puts it, spent catering to the people was a wonderful experience through his Capuchin life and priesthood. “Thousands of people coming together to attend Mass, you never see that anywhere else.” He goes on to share the stark contrast he witnesses when compared to what he sees back home, “Coming from the United States, we don’t too often have a full church but here there are so many people for a Mass. The people in the Gulf have fervent faith. That is something that I’ll always treasure and take back with me.”
Fr. Paul’s experiences in the Gulf have been unique and filled with passion and dedication for Christ and his Church. Being God’s instrument brings with its hardships and unfamiliar places but he takes it all in with a jovial smile. Through it all, Fr. Paul has left his impression on everything that he has done and just as how his ministry here has touched him, he too, has touched the hearts of many. As he takes on a new chapter of his life, after a very special episode in the Gulf, we wish him nothing but the best to come.
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Stephanie Maria Joseph from St. Francis Assisi Parish in Jebel Ali, contributed to this report along with John E. John from the AVOSA Office of Communications