Bro. Vincent Soreng, SJ
26 May 1936 – 3 May 2025
Jesuit for 69 years | Missionary in Africa for 54 years
“Well done, good and faithful servant... Enter into the joy of your Master.” (Mt. 25:23)
With deep gratitude to God and with sorrowful hearts, the Ranchi Jesuit Province mourns the passing of Br. Vincent Soreng, SJ, who was called to eternal rest on 3 May 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, just weeks before his 89th birthday.
He was a Jesuit for 69 years, a missionary in Africa for 54 years, and a beloved brother whose life bore fruit across two continents. He belonged to the first batch of seven Ranchi Jesuits sent as missionaries to Africa in 1971—a bold act of faith and mission that continues to inspire generations.
A Son of Chotanagpur, Sent to the World
Born on 26 May 1936, Br. Vincent grew up in the rich soil of faith, simplicity, and service that marks the tribal heartland of Chotanagpur. Drawn to the quiet, committed life of a Jesuit Brother, he entered the novitiate in 1955 and offered himself entirely to God’s mission.
When the call came for Jesuits from Ranchi to serve in Africa, Br. Vincent was among the first to say “yes.” Along with six others, he embarked on a journey of faith to a land he had never seen but would soon call home.
Missionary of God’s Love in Africa
From Sudan to Zambia, Tanzania to Kenya, Br. Vincent served with tireless devotion. He was not a man of big titles but of big heart. His hands built, repaired, planted, typed, drove, cooked, and cared. Whether working in a seminary kitchen or tending a garden, coordinating logistics or supporting novices, he did it all with gentleness, competence, and humility.
He spoke Hindi, English, Swahili, and even some Arabic, and more importantly, he spoke the universal language of love and service. For over five decades, the African soil became his sacred ground, and its people, his family.
An Ecological Prophet Before His Time
Before “care for our common home” became a global Church theme, Br. Vincent lived it. His love for nature—expressed in planting trees, growing vegetables, photographing birds, and tending gardens—was deeply spiritual. He lived Laudato Si’ long before it was written.
At the Pedro Arrupe Community in Nairobi, where he spent his final years, he became known as the “early riser,” out in the orchard before sunrise, planting and pruning, turning every blade of grass into a prayer.
A Heart That Never Returned—By Choice
When Br. Vincent last visited Ranchi, he quietly told a few:“I’m not coming back. My life is there now—with my people.” That one sentence captures his spirit: a man who had fallen completely in love with his mission. Though his body remained far from his native land, his soul was always in communion with us—his Jesuit brothers in Ranchi, his family, and his roots.
Honoured and Remembered
His Final Offering
Br. Vincent fell ill shortly after Easter this year. Though he seemed to recover briefly, a stroke due to ventricular haemorrhage left him in a vulnerable state. He received excellent medical care and the tender presence of his community. In the early hours of 3 May 2025, the Lord gently took his soul.
Our Salute and Our Prayer
Br. Vincent Soreng, SJ, is a shining missionary son of Chotanagpur, a witness to the global vocation of the Society of Jesus. His life reminds us that mission is not about distance, but about depth—not about leaving home, but about finding home wherever love leads.
We, his brothers in the Ranchi Province, salute him with reverence and pride. His memory will continue to inspire us to love with simplicity, serve with fidelity, and walk wherever God sends us.
Fr. Deepak Toppo
(Source: Father Binamungu Faustine Mukasa, SJ, Socius to the Provincial, Jesuits Eastern Africa)