Walking the Rocky Paths of Service: Bishop Angelo Pagano’s Commitment to Communities in Need
Under the scorching sun of East Hararghe, where steep rocky mountains and thorny bushes define the landscape of Berkele Kebele in Babile Woreda, one figure slowly walked uphill beside community members, government officials, and humanitarian partners.
At an age when many would choose comfort and rest, Bishop Angelo Pagano continued climbing difficult terrain to stand alongside communities whose lives have long been shaped by drought, water scarcity, and vulnerability.The image of the Bishop walking through rugged mountains during the inauguration of the Berkele Water Supply System is far more than a ceremonial moment. It is a powerful reflection of servant leadership, solidarity, faith in action, and a lifelong commitment to restoring dignity to vulnerable communities.
Established in 1937, the Apostolic Vicariate of Harar has served communities across East and West Hararghe, Somali Region, Dire Dawa, Harari Region, and parts of Oromia and Afar. Across decades of humanitarian and pastoral service, the Church has remained close to communities facing poverty, displacement, drought, and limited access to essential services. For Bishop Angelo, leadership has never been about distance from the people. It has always been about walking with them. During the inauguration ceremony, his words reflected the deep spirit of solidarity that aligns strongly with Catholic Relief Services’ guiding principles and the CRS Vision 2030 Strategy, In Their Own Hands, which emphasizes locally led development, resilience, participation, stewardship, and community ownership.
“We are here together from different places, different races, and we are here just to thank for the gift of water,” Bishop Angelo said. “The water is not my own, not yours, not the ambassador’s. It is the water of everybody because it is a gift from God. We are only the instruments to bring this good to everybody.” - Bishop Angelo Pagano.
His message echoed one of CRS’ core values on solidarity:
“Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people… It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good.”
That commitment was visible not only in his speech, but also in his actions. Despite the harsh terrain and physical demands of the journey, Bishop Angelo personally walked through rocky hills and bushes to witness the completed water system and celebrate with the community.
The Berkele Water Supply System, implemented by CRS Ethiopia in partnership with the Hararghe Catholic Secretariat and funded by the U.S. Department of State under the Ifaa Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA), now provides safe drinking water to more than 5,900 people through a climate-resilient solar-powered system.
Yet for Bishop Angelo, the project represents something even deeper than infrastructure.
“Sometimes we have money, but we do not know how to spend it,” he reflected during the inauguration. “Then we build anything, maybe not what the people really need. But here, the people came, they spoke with you, they worked with you. And you helped them reach this stage.”
His words strongly mirror the CRS 2030 strategic direction of placing communities at the center of decision-making and ensuring that development is shaped with people, not merely for people.
The Bishop also emphasized the importance of partnership across nations, institutions, and communities:
“This is the miracle that our Father, the Father of everybody, is able to do — bringing people from different places together for the same purpose.”
That vision reflects the enduring mission of CRS since 1943: To uphold the sacredness and dignity of every human life and to serve people based on need, regardless of creed, race, or nationality.
Throughout his remarks, Bishop Angelo repeatedly acknowledged the role of local staff, communities, and institutions working together in service of humanity.
[6/6/2026 4:03 PM] E: “The best thanks is going to my people here in Ethiopia, the local staff, who are working tirelessly with the government and with the population.”
His appreciation reinforced another central principle of CRS Vision 2030: Strengthening local leadership and empowering communities and institutions to lead their own development journeys sustainably.
One of the most symbolic moments during the inauguration came when CRS formally handed over ownership of the water system to the community through a signed agreement.
For Bishop Angelo, this represented the true meaning of sustainable development.
“CRS entrusts the project to the population. That means it belongs to you. Now it is left to you to make this wonderful project work for the good of the people.”
His message aligned deeply with the principles of subsidiarity, stewardship, and the common good — values at the heart of Catholic Social Teaching and CRS programming worldwide.
As he stood among community members beneath the intense heat of Berkele, Bishop Angelo also reflected on future generations:
“Today, we are here and happy, but we already have our age. We hope the young generation learns the same things. Tomorrow, maybe you yourself will go to America or Europe to do the same things.”
His words carried a vision far beyond one water project. They reflected hope for a generation inspired to serve humanity with compassion, humility, and responsibility.
The Berkele Water Supply System is therefore not only a story about water.
It is a story about dignity. About solidarity. About walking with communities. About listening before acting. About faith expressed through service. And about leaders who continue climbing rocky mountains so others may live with hope.
As CRS Ethiopia advances its Vision 2030 Strategy — building resilient communities “in their own hands” — the example of Bishop Angelo Pagano stands as a living testimony that authentic humanitarian leadership is not measured by titles or speeches alone, but by the willingness to walk beside the people, even on the hardest roads.
“An authentic faith,” Pope Francis reminds us, “always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it.”
In the mountains of Berkele, that faith was visible in action.