Learn more about Fr. Alfred.

--------------------------------------------------------
WELCOME FATHER BERNARD
   PASTOR OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE
         OUR SISTER-PARISH IN NEW ORLEANS

On February 5, 2006,...
Our honored guest, Fr. Bernard, was born and raised by Catholic parents in a suburb of Accra, Ghana, in Mataheko ­ West Africa.  Educated in Catholic schools during his elementary years, he gained admission to the Aquinas Secondary School where he graduated in 1989 with a General Certificate of Education (G.C.E.) at an advanced level. 
For the next 9 years, he studied philosophy and theology in his formation for the priesthood.  Ordained on November 14, 1998 as a priest in the Divine Word order, he was given his first assignment as a missionary priest in the Southern Province of the United States.

By December 28, 1998, Father Bernard was on a flight to the USA and Notre Dame Catholic Church in St. Martinville, Louisiana.  Within  eight months he was reassigned to his present parish, St. Paul the Apostle, where he is now pastor.

Father has found the strength to cope with the significant changes in his young life - including Katrina which, when the levee broke, destroyed the Church’s floors, all its pews and air condition units as well as the contents of the first floor rectory and ministry, including the modular classrooms with all its contents - because of his trust and hope in God to see him through whatever he is assigned to do.  He believes that God will “continue to assure me (him) of support and confirm His divine involvement” in his everyday ministry.

Thus, he has accepted our invitation to visit us at St. Francis and to share his hopes for the repair of his church and the return of his parishioners to their homes, their neighborhood and their church.  We are blessed to be a twin-parish with St. Paul the Apostle Church and to be a brother and sister to its pastor, Father Bernard Kwame Assenyoh, S.V.D. 

May we join hands and work together for the renewal and growth of its members in the years to come.  (We Thank Ernestine McGlynn for writing this week’s article.)
—————————

On February 15, 2006,...
Gratitude, from Fr. Bernard & Saint Paul Parish
Dear friends of St. Francis,

Greetings from New Orleans.  I write to inform you that I finally arrived back in New Orleans.  And since this whole trip was initiated by you, I want to take this opportunity to express my personal heartfelt gratitude, and that of the community of Saint Paul, to you for your kindness, compassion and generosity toward us.

My trip was unimaginably enjoyable, informative, educative and spirit-filled!  I was particularly impressed by your community's unanimous feeling to support us.  I experience this feeling in everyone I met and associated with, children, youth, young adults, adults and seniors, ministers, staff, school, etc.  Your hospitality and love was felt personally.

It was remarkable to see the ethnic diversity of your community and i was moved by the testimonies from the African, Asian, South American and European members of St. Francis on how well integrated and how well you all feel at home.  Your church truly qualifies as an International Church!

Thank you all for being such an instrument of God's justice and peace not just to us but to all in the world.  With the tile-drive and my visit, i see a bright future in our twinning relations.  My community and I will keep you posted on every step of our recovery with pictures, and i hope in God's blessings on our effort to build the Kingdom here on earth.

God bless Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Paul the Apostle Churches!
B. Kwame Assenyoh, SVD (pastor)

Contact: the St. Francis Parish Social Ministry Office,  .
Or,          at:  SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC CHURCH/SCHOOL, 6828 Chef Menteur Highway, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA  70126.  Office Phone:     504-495-0263  (Pastor/Secretary/Staff);    Rectory Phone: 504-495-0281  (Pastor only)