Joyfully celebrating his 25 years as a priest, Father Paul Attah-Nsiah is happy to share with his “home parishes,” St. Columbkille’s and St. Joseph the Worker in Dubuque, in giving thanks to God for the abundant blessings of his life. Born in 1963 in a small town called Ejisu-Besease, in Ghana, Father was one of nine children who lived a most humble life with his mother, who raised the children alone after his dad’s death in 1972, when Father Attah-Nsiah was just 9 years old. Many graces accompanied the large family beginning with Father Attah-Nsiah’s mother raising the children Catholic as his father wished, even though she herself was Methodist. As they became young men, the expectation and responsibility for the boys in his family was to assist all the other children (and relatives) continue their education. It was no small effort, and without his family’s blessing (for several years), that Father Attah-Nsiah persevered in following the call he felt God had given him.

Many years of education in Rome, Canada and Ghana led to Father Attah-Nsiah receiving his doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, master’s and licentiate degrees in canon law from Ottawa University and St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada, as well as religion and sociology in his undergraduate studies in Ghana.

Father Attah-Nsiah has enjoyed many pastoral assignments over his 25 years, all of which have allowed him to share and expand his knowledge of and love for his faith in Jesus Christ through the people he has encountered. Whether as a seminary formation director, administrator, pastor, vicar, or now as an associate pastor at St. Joseph the Worker and St. Columbkille’s, while also assisting as a judge for the Archdiocesan Tribunal in Dubuque, Father Attah-Nsiah’s love for people and joy in living the Gospel have brought him great fulfillment as a priest and unworthy servant to God’s people. Experiencing the broad spectrum of church throughout the world and coming to understand how culture impacts faith’s practice have become significant teachers and an immense blessing.

Father Attah-Nsiah’s personal mission, from the time he understood his own family’s plight, has been to improve Catholic education in Ghana for everyone by establishing schools. Notable among them: St. Mary Girls Senior High School at Konongo and an ultramodern senior high school, student population of 800, at Mamponteng, called Our Lady of Grace Senior High School with funding support coming from Our Lady of Grace Parish in Edina, Minnesota. It is Father’s hope now, to inspire people to assist him in providing seed money to construct a new elementary school replacing the dilapidated building which he himself attended some 50 years ago. Brick by brick, it will be a great gift and blessing just to begin. Catholic education is the best vehicle for deepening faith, diminishing poverty and forming individuals who can become strong moral leaders for their people.

Father Attah-Nsiah invites everyone to share with him this mile marker on his journey. Please pray for his continued service to God and God’s people. If possible, join him July 13-14 at St. Joseph the Worker – after Masses, or at St. Columbkille’s on July 20-21 – after Masses. Thank you in advance for any support you can offer toward assisting in the education of children in his homeland.