About Msgr. Anselm Nwaorgu
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Msgr. Anselm Nwaorgu was born and raised in the Eastern part of Nigeria and immigrated to the United States in April of 1988 and was ordained to the priesthood in May 1992 for the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. On May 30th, 2009, he became the first native African born priest in the United States Catholic Church to be elevated to the status of a Monsignor (Chaplain to His Holiness) by Pope Benedict XIV.
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Msgr. Anselm Nwaorgu has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, from Urban University, Rome; a master’s degree in Systematic Theology; a master’s degree in Counselor Prep; a
Msgr. Anselm Nwaorgu, Ph.D.
master’s degree in Divinity in Pastoral Ministry, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, from Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey. He is a licensed Psychologist in the State of New Jersey.
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In May 1991, he received the Pope John Paul II Medal for Superior Academic Work in Theology from Immaculate Conception Seminary, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey; a Citation Award in Recognition of Outstanding Religious Accomplishments and Dedicated Service to the Community by the National Sorority of
Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. Delta Pi Chapter (October 2008); a Commendation Award for Outstanding and Dedicated Service to the City of Newark by The Newark Municipal Council, City of Newark, New Jersey (June 2010); and awarded the "2015 Man of Vision" by the Newark Municipal Council, City of Newark, New Jersey (September 2015).
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Apart from his priestly duties, Msgr. Anselm has also worked as a Staff Psychologist at the Eric J. Feldman Child/Family Development Center, Mount Carmel Guild Behavioral Health Care; Newark, New Jersey; and an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey.
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He has made many presentations at professional bodies including workshops on International Migrations and Marital Distress at the New Jersey Academy of Science Annual Meeting at Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey (May 11, 1996); Cultural Competence Round table: African American Families, at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Conference, Atlanta, GA (September 1997); Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution for Couples at the New Jersey Counseling Association Conference, Princeton, NJ(March 1998); and the Dynamics of Workplace Stress at the New Jersey Catholic Charities, USA Convention, Eatontown, New Jersey (June 2001).
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Msgr. Anselm was the First Executive President of the African Conference of Catholic Clergy and Religious in the United States and is presently a consultant to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on the Pastoral Care of African immigrants, in the Department of the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees, and travelers.
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