Fr. Césaire Souissa Mounda, MSC, was born on Oct. 24, 1980, in Figuil North Cameroon, Africa. His father, Munda Dieudonné was a Police Commissioner. He died on Oct. 22, 2001. His mother is Asta Antoinette.
Fr. Césaire was the third of seven children. He completed primary school and then entered the high school seminary at Guider. After his graduation he taught at a primary school for two years. During this time he met Fr. Filip Maenhout, a Missionary of the Sacred Heart priest, who encouraged him in his desire to study to become a Catholic priest with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Religious Congregation.
From 2003-06, Fr. Césaire went through his pre-novitiate training. He was then approved to continue his seminary formation and he went to South Africa for his novitiate program. Fr. Césaire pronounced his first vows on July 29, 2007. He completed his theological studies at Ngoya St. Cyprian Institute and received his bachelor's degree in Theology on June 25, 2011, graduating "Cum Laude Probatus." Fr. Césaire made his final profession of vows in Nioro, Senegal, on June 23, 2012. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 2013 in Cameroon.
On 2017, Fr. Césaire received a BA in Communication Studies from Loyola University where he was working towards a master’s degree in Digital Media ad Storytelling. During the last three months he struggled with liver cancer until his death on November 25, 2018.
Fr. Cesaire's body will lie in state on December 3, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. (Central Time) at St. Joseph Church, 4821 S. Hermitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60609. The funeral mass will begin at 11:00 a.m.
There will be a private burial at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, 278 Ashland Ave., Aurora, Illinois, on WEDNESDAY, December 5, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.