New Rectory Will Support Priests, Children’s Liturgy of the Word in Ghana

October 21, 2025

The generosity of parishioners at St. Pius X Parish in Urbandale will benefit the Sacred Heart of Jesus faith community in Atase-Ghana for many years to come.

Shortly after Father Daniel Adjei arrived at St. Pius X Parish, the pastor, Father Matthew Luft, asked him if there was a project the parish could help with during Lent in 2024.

Father Adjei, who is originally from Ghana, suggested a rectory because he had already started a new church in his hometown of Atase.

“When I was in the seminary, my village had no church. Catholics in the community walked about five miles to attend Mass/Service in the nearby village,” he said. “When I became a priest, the first question my Uncle Paul asked was ‘Do you have any friends in Ghana or abroad who can help us build our church?’” Father Adjei responded, “I have no local or international connections.”

After three years of priestly ministry, his bishop asked him to go to the United States for his graduate studies. He was admitted to Duquesne University and resided at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Pittsburgh. Part of the parish’s 10-year pastoral plan was to establish a sister-parish relationship.

He matched them with Sacred Heart of Jesus, a mission community that has started in his hometown. It is part of St. Theresa Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi. The Pittsburgh parishioners assisted the faith community in building a new church for Father’s hometown (about 80% completed).

Now, thanks to the kindness of St. Pius X Parish in Urbandale, that parish has a rectory that’s nearly completed.

Father Adjei needed $50,000 to build the rectory. More funds were gathered, so he used them to build restrooms at the Catholic school and supported the interior furnishing work in the church.

He’s grateful for the generosity of St. Pius X parishioners, which he attributes to the wonderful rapport he had with Father Luft, who arrived at the parish at the same time as Father Adjei.

“St. Pius X has been so good not just to me, but to Father Matthew. When we came, the reception was so great. I think people fell in love with the camaraderie between myself and Father Matthew and the energy we came in with,” he said. “The love and receptivity have been amazing.”

Today, the construction of the new, five-bedroom rectory with a basement is nearly completed. The basement hall is intended as a space for children’s Liturgy of the Word. It has a kitchen, a sitting hall, and office space for the priests, too.

Father Adjei said, “I’m grateful to God, Father Matthew Luft, and all parishioners of St. Pius X.”

“The parishioners at St. Pius were very enthusiastic and generous with Father Daniel’s project.  That enthusiasm still exists today,” said Father Luft.

“Last week at the end of the Mass with our school, one of the students went up to Father John Owusu-Agyemang (who is leaving on a home visit to Ghana this week), and asked Father John if he would stop and see Father Daniel’s church and house,” he added. “ Everyone is very appreciative of Father Daniel’s ministry here, and we want to help the community that fostered his vocation which has served us so well.”