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January 23, 2026By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press
This year the diocese’s African Ministry is focusing on helping the men in its communities to fulfill their responsibilities and bring their families to Jesus.
“Each year we come up with a theme,” noted Father Enoch K. Kyeremateng, chaplain. “Our theme this year is: The role of Simon of Cyrene in the African Catholic Man. … We had a focus on the youth and children, the Eucharist, the family” other years. He said the women’s groups in the parishes are already committed, evangelizing, and supporting each other and church needs.
To choose a year’s theme, “we look at how the trend is going with the people we serve … which area needs strength, more evangelization and support,” he said.
At the end of each year, the diocesan African Ministry board meets to look at the past year and project into the following year, spending time in silence and prayer together, reflecting on challenges, seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance, Father Kyeremateng said.
For 2026, he suggested focusing on how to evangelize the men’s group in each of the communities he oversees: in Worcester at St. Paul Cathedral (which has about 30 members), St. Joan of Arc Parish (about 300 members) and St. Peter Parish/St. Andrew the Apostle Mission (about 275 members), and in Fitchburg at St. Anthony of Padua Parish (about 75 members). The board sought the intercession of these parishes’ patrons, then he led a discussion, he said.
His idea for incorporating Simon of Cyrene, who helped Jesus carry his cross, was sparked at a retreat for directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies, one of his roles in the Worcester diocese.
At the retreat, “Cardinal Sean O’Malley (archbishop emeritus of Boston) touched on Simon of Cyrene” and his role in salvation history, Father Kyeremateng said. “Immediately it clicked. … I was reflecting on Simon of Cyrene, his role as an African … in my life as an African priest.” (Cyrene was in present-day Libya in North Africa.)
“How can I put into action the good deeds of Simon of Cyrene?” Father Kyeremateng asked himself. He figured if Simon “did not come into the picture,” Jesus would have died on the way to Golgotha; “it turned out to be a blessing” when Roman soldiers compelled him to carry Jesus’ cross.
“He was a family man too – he had two kids, Alexander and Rufus,” and his family was known in the early Christian community, Father Kyeremateng said, referring to Mark 15:21 and Romans 16:13.
“So we chose the theme … because we want to look at Simon of Cyrene from two perspectives – his discipleship and as a family man.”
Jesus says, “To be a true disciple, you have to carry the cross”; Simon was a disciple because he did that, Father Kyeremateng reasoned.
So, he asked, how should Catholic men respond to God’s call to be a disciple in the community and their families? By obedience, willingness to help, and joy in carrying the cross.
“We are facing a lot of broken homes, negligence of duties,” Father Kyeremateng said. “In Africa, the man is supposed to take responsibilities … taking care of the children, the wife,” seeing that everyone lives at peace and is well fed.
But when they leave Africa, some forget their responsibilities to their nuclear families right around them – because of work duties and responsibilities to people back home in Africa – and they adapt more to the culture in the United States, he said.
They need to ask themselves, “How do I bring my family to Jesus [and] help my children be God-fearing and Christ-like?”
Women’s groups are active, but men’s groups aren’t; male leaders in each parish have been tasked with revitalizing the men’s group there, Father Kyeremateng said. The idea is to have the men actively participate in parish, diocesan and African ministry events.
Simon of Cyrene has not traditionally been honored as a canonized saint; St. Paul was chosen as the men’s patron, because, after his conversion, he never turned away from God, and because he is patron of the diocese, Father Kyeremateng said. The slogan for the year is, “Paul, who was last to come [to Jesus] surpasses the first [Christians].”
The chaplain expressed a desire for the men to learn more about this apostle.
“You see the joy of Paul spreading the Good News,” he said. “Paul led by example. We want the fathers to lead by example, to be men of Christian faith, men who will stand during these challenging times, speak the mind of God, be models to their children, encouraging their wives. They shouldn’t leave everything on their wives. … So this year we are trying to recharge the spiritual batteries of the men, to be up and doing in every aspect of life – social life, spiritual life, moral life.”
Since June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, is a weekday this year, there will be a retreat for the African men in the diocese on Saturday, June 27, at St. Joan of Arc, followed by a cookout that will include their families, Father Kyeremateng said. On June 28 the men are to serve at Masses at their own parishes.
He said other events planned for 2026 include a retreat for the leaders in all the parishes March 28 at St. Andrew’s; a diocesan-wide Mass, outdoor procession and cookout for the feast of Corpus Christi, June 7, at St. Anthony’s; a September 5 marriage retreat and seminar at Holy Cross Family Ministries in North Easton; and a choral festival and dinner involving African Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian choirs on Oct. 10 at St. Joan of Arc.
Dates are to be announced for an August boat ride in Boston, and Mass with Bishop McManus at St. Andrew’s (for St. Andrew’s and St. Anthony’s communities). The St. Joan of Arc and St. Paul Cathedral communities are to have Mass with the bishop Aug. 23 at St. Joan of Arc, Father Kyeremateng said.
He said parish coordinators of youth activities are to tell the African Ministry board what they have planned for 2026.
The African Ministry is also hoping for a great turnout of its members for the Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men’s Conference March 21, he said.
He expressed gratitude for Bishop McManus’ support and guidance for the African Ministry, for the support offered by pastors who have African communities in their parishes, and for the lay leaders.
“We are looking for a very successful 2026,” he said. “We pray for God’s strength for each and every one. We invite everyone [not just Africans] to our activities.Come prepared for a two- to three-hour Mass – with your dancing shoes!”