Father Peter Shaba, the new parochial vicar assigned to All Saints Parish in Brunswick. Peter Shaba Photo

The new vicar at Brunswick-based All Saints Parish, a native of Nigeria, no longer feels out of place in Maine.

“Although most of the time, I am the only black person in the church, I do not see myself that way,” he said. “I only see the people of God and I think everyone is equal in the space and presence of God,” said Father Peter Shaba. “I really do not see myself as different from anyone else. I see myself as one among the people of God and I live that way.” 

Bishop Robert Deeley recently announced Shaba’s appointment as vicar, where he will work with the pastor of the parish. A parochial vicar is a priest who is assigned to assist the pastor in the ministry of a parish.  

Shaba is among 24 international priests serving in Maine, all representing African nations and India.

Shaba is a native of Ondo State in Nigeria and has been living in Maine for the past 7 years. He has been serving as the parochial vicar in Scarborough for nearly two years. He said that he lives in unison with people of his faith, despite his differences.  

As a young child, he was inspired to follow in the footsteps of the Rev. Valentine Hynes, an Irish missionary who he met in his Nigerian village and inspired him to walk a path of religious leadership. He reflected on a time when he would sit in the front of the church listening to his sermons as he connected with the people of the congregation by communicating in Yoruba, which was their local language.

“As children, we would love to sit in the front of the church during Mass just to see him speak the local language of the people which he tried as much as possible to speak in the best way, but we would often make jest of him,” Shaba said. “However, it was from there that I said to myself that I wanted to be like him so that I could speak other people’s local language and I believed that the only way for me to do that was to become a priest.” 

Shaba went on to highlight how his faith continues to inspire him.  

“Christ is the one that we all look up to. Secondly, the determination that I have within me as well and I also look at the life of other people,” he said. “The way how other people live their lives, their generosity and their love toward other people. Although, we may fall short. Christ remains the ideal way.”  

Shaba will be stepping into his new role as the parochial vicar for All Saints Parish on May 2. The churches under his purview include St. Charles Borromeo Church in Brunswick, St. John the Baptist Church in Brunswick, St. Mary Church in Bath, Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Boothbay Harbor, St. Ambrose Church in Richmond, St. Patrick Church in Newcastle and St. Katharine Drexel Church in Harpswell. 

Before his post in Brunswick, he served over five years in St. Joseph Parish in Bridgton and St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Norway.