After eight years in the United States – all in the Diocese of Richmond – Father Eric Baffour Asamoah, pastor of St. Mark, Virginia Beach, says each day is still a learning experience.
“I discover something new every day,” said Father Eric, who was born in Ghana and ordained in the Diocese of Kumasi on July 1, 2000.
To mark his 25th anniversary as a priest, the Parish Life ministry at St. Mark threw Father Eric a proper party in the parish hall on June 28, complete with a roast suckling pig. The following day, after Sunday Masses, the ministry provided eggs, bacon, and potatoes for brunch.
“St. Mark is a very welcoming parish,” said Father Eric. “They are a community, and a very strong one at that.”
Before becoming pastor of St. Mark, he was pastor of the Holy Trinity Cluster in southwest Virginia, which includes Holy Spirit, Jonesville; Sacred Heart, Big Stone Gap; St. Anthony, Norton; and St. Joseph, Clintwood. Previously, he served as parochial vicar of Good Shepherd, South Hill; St. Catherine of Siena, Clarksville; and St. Paschal Baylon, South Boston. His first assignment in our diocese was as parochial vicar of St. Anne, Bristol.
“I have been all over,” he said. “It’s been fun meeting different kinds of people.”
The joyful communities he has encountered along the way defied expectations about the United States set by the media in his home country, he added.
“There is a lot in the media [in Ghana] about the U.S. and the faith,” he said. “Coming here, you may have a thought: ‘Is it possible there are Christians here?’”
Now, when he visits home once a year, he brings news of his positive experience.
“Every time I go for vacation, I have a lot to share, always,” said Father Eric. “I tell them: ‘My brother, believe me. To see the bishop, to see priests, to see the people of faith in this diocese, it’s the biggest love I have seen in my life.’”
In his hometown of Suame in Ghana, he said, Catholic influence is strong.
“I’m a cradle Catholic. I grew up as a Catholic – my mom and dad are Catholic. My environment, my home was Catholic, Catholic,” he said.
But Ghana has a strong Muslim minority – nearly 20% of the country is Muslim, as were Father Eric’s ancestors.
“My great-grandparents allowed my grandmother to go to any religious group to worship, and she decided to be a Christian,” he said. “That’s where we get our Christianity from.”
From a young age, he felt the call to the priesthood.
“Even as a small boy, 10 or 11 years old, I felt I would be a priest. I didn’t even have reasons. I felt it,” he said. “I observed the priests very well. I wanted to find out, ‘What is it about them?’”
Now, living his vocation brings “great inner fulfillment,” said Father Eric.
“What moves me on is the inner satisfaction that you are in the right place,” he added.
Steven Schlossberg, St. Mark parishioner and a deacon candidate, said that Father Eric shares that fulfillment with his parish.
“He brought a spirituality that was needed in our parish,” he said. “He goes back to the rubric. It was eye-opening for me. When we were getting ready for Easter Mass, we were planning to do it the way we’ve always done it. He opened the Roman Missal and said, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’”
“There’s a spirituality at St. Mark that he is instilling,” Schlossberg continued. “It’s going to flow from your pastor, and it’s a beautiful thing to see.”
Sherry Smeland, parish secretary, also pointed to Father Eric’s management of resources and determination to get things done in a material sense.
“He is a very good steward of our building and grounds. We had some leaking roof issues that made you think of Noah’s ark. But he worked diligently to get all that corrected,” said Smeland. “He’s slowly updating the building and working on how we can better use these grounds. He’s always looking for ways to improve.”
“He’s not the kind to talk about fixing stuff – he has the vision of, ‘Let’s get this done, and let’s get it done now,’” said Schlossberg. “He walked in the door and saw we had water leaking in, buckets everywhere … he got the roof fixed, got the ceiling tiles replaced, got the walls painted, and made sure it wasn’t delayed. His view is always, ‘Let’s go.’”
“He has more energy than anyone I’ve ever met,” said Smeland.
But Father Eric reflected the praise back to the people of the parish, without whom these goals would not have been accomplished.
“The people freely give out of their heart,” he said. “Volunteers come in and spend hours at the church, helping. That’s how they are at St. Mark.”
That spirit of giving and community was especially strong the night of June 28, as Father Eric enjoyed food and fellowship with over 200 parishioners, reflecting on his years as a priest and the years still to come.
“When I look back, it’s all good,” he said. “And I want to continue doing the work to glorify God’s name.”