Fr. Vincent Cole • Er
Fr. Vincent Cole is the last American missionary in Asmat, and the longest serving in the history of Catholic Mission in Asmat. Originally from Detroit, MI, Fr. Cole came to Asmat in 1979 under the invitation of Fr. Gerard Zegward, the first Catholic priest to arrive in Asmat in 1953. Fr. Cole continued to serve Asmat for nearly fourty years solely in the village of Er. Among his legacy in the village - apart from continuously fighting for human rights among the villagers - is his success in bringing the villagers of Er and its twin village, Sa, to build an inculturated Catholic Church in the style and ownership of the Asmat. The Second Vatican Council of 1962 promotes anthropological missionization, where missionaries in spreading the Good News are expected to have anthropological understanding of the community where the Mission post operates.