Recent News:
Join Us for a Very Special Screening of The Heart of Nuba on June 12, 2026, in Florence, Italy!
We are excited to announce a very special screening of The Heart of Nuba in Florence, Italy, on June 12, 2026. The screening will be held at the stunning Teatro Niccolini in the heart of Florence. Kenneth Carlson, director of The Heart of Nuba, will present the film...
Only surgeon for 2 million, American doctor perseveres in war-torn Sudan
As the only doctor at a hospital serving more than 2 million people, Dr. Tom Catena works seven days a week and is on call every night — and still makes time for morning Mass. An American Catholic missionary and the only surgeon at Mother of Mercy Hospital in the...
By Dr. Tom: I Am a Doctor in Sudan…
by Tom Catena I first met my patient, whom I will call Halima, when she was referred to our hospital while suffering from advanced cervical cancer. In her mid-40s, she initially sought treatment in her home community, in the war-ravaged Darfur region, but the doctors...
Dr. Tom at Notre Dame: War zone doctor explains life and service in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains
Dr. Tom spoke at the University of Notre Dame Institute for Social Concerns’ annual lecture in honor of Fr. Bernie Clark this Wednesday. Catena shared an inside look at his past 17 years as the only permanently stationed doctor in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains. He described...
American surgeon inspired by St. Daniel Comboni to serve in remote areas of Sudan
In the remote Nuba Mountains of Sudan’s South Kordofan region, Catholic missionary Dr. Tom Catena says that the smallest victories are magnified in the biggest ways. It could be a patient’s unexpected improvement or a good outcome from a medical procedure. Or it’s the...
Hope and Mercy in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains
By Dr. Maria C. Geba After ten years of medical training, I decided to take a break. A break from the grind of academic medicine, from the constant striving for the next publication, the next accolade, the next prestigious conference. Busyness had distracted me from...
Tom Catena ’86 Names 2024 NCAA Theodore Roosevelt Award Recipient
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Dr. Tom Catena, a former All-American football player and mechanical engineering major at Brown, developed a sense of service in his collegiate years. It wasn't until he was driving home from his aunt's funeral shortly after he graduated in...
Annual Amsterdam 5K Run/Walk raises funds for Mother of Mercy
The 8th annual Thanks4Giving 5k Run/Walk and 1 Mile Walk in Amsterdam, New York, was held Thursday, with 246 participants. The run, in Dr. Tom's home town, raises funds for their local hero, Dr. Tom Catena, and Mother of Mercy Hospital. read article
News from Sudan:
Dr. Tom on Events in Sudan
Dr. Tom Catena emailed Kennth Carlson (Director of The Heart of Nuba) today and spoke briefly about the current events, and coup, in Sudan. As usual, he is walking with a steadfast vision forward, to the job at hand, taking changes in stride as he continues to focus...
Reuters: After fall of Bashir, Sudan closes door on support for Hamas
KHARTOUM, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Sudanese authorities have taken control of lucrative assets that for years provided backing for Hamas, shedding light on how the country served as a haven for the Palestinian militant group under former leader Omar al-Bashir. The takeover...
In Sudan, ICC prosecutor says al-Bashir must be tried over Darfur
Former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and other suspects wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and genocide in Darfur must face justice without further delay, the court’s chief prosecutor, currently on a visit to Khartoum, has...
The Kind of Day We Have All Been Waiting For
Ryan Boyette has dedicated his life to reporting on and providing assistance to the people of the Nuba mountains. He recently shared an event on his Facebook page that marked a moment in history for the people of Nuba: "A historic day in #Sudan . This...