Currently serving as pastor at St. Mary the Annunciation Parish in Ladysmith, Fr. Godfred will begin his ministry here at St. Michael Parish on July 1.

Fr. Godfred Appiah-Marfo is from Ghana, a West African nation bordered by Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire. He was born in 1969 in Nyadeyeya, a village in the Ashanti Region's Amansie West District, to Dominic Akwasi Appiah (a teacher and catechist) and Theresah Adwoa Nsiah, who have now gone before us. He was one of six children, though he has since lost two of his siblings. Following the death of his father, Fr. Godfred assumed significant responsiblity within the family, helping to guide and support his siblings, while maintaining strong bonds of unity among them. During this time, the family was upheld by the enduring love, faith, and support of a close-knit extended family, whose solidarity played an important role in their lives.

Fr. Godfred completed his basic education at Nyadeyeya Roman Catholic Primary School and Nwineso No. 3 Local Authority Middle School, graduating in 1983. Responding to God's call to the priesthood, he entered the Minor Seminary in 1984 and completed his Ordinary and Advanced Level Studies in 1992. He went on to study Philosophy at St. Paul's Catholic Seminary in Sowutuom, Accra, and later Theology at St. Peter's Regional Seminary in Pedu, Cape Coast, where he graduated in 2000 with a degree in Theology and Sociology. Fr. Godfred was ordained to the priesthood on July 8, 2000.

Following his ordination, Fr. Godfred served as curate at the Cathedral Church of St. Thomas in Obuasi for two years before being appointed Acting Parish Priest at St. Peter's church in Jacobu. In 2003, he was sent to the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome to study Canon Law, earning a Licentiate in 2006. Upon returning to Ghana, he served in the Diocese of Obuasi from 2006 to 2023 in numerous roles, including Diocesan Chancellor, Judicial Vicar, Advocate of the Kumasi Provincial Tribunal, Promoter of Justice, Vicar for Marriages, member of the College of Consultors, diocesan senator, and parish priest in several communities: St. Joseph Parish (Esaase), Holy Trinity Parish (Anyinam), St. Anthony Parish (Esereso), and Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish (Abompe).

Most recently, Fr. Godfred was called to serve in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, where he first was appointed Parochial Vicar at St. Bridget Parish. He currently serves as a Judge and Promoter of Justice for the Diocesan Tribunal, as well as Pastor of St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish in Ruther Glen.

Fr. Godfred has a great love for sports and music, and he is especially known for his compassionate heart and dedication to serving the poor and those who are suffering.

The Catholic Virginian
Read about Fr. Godfred in a 2025 feature story on The Catholic Virginian.
Fr. Godfred: Team Player for 25 Years 

Heavenly Father, eternal Shepherd, you govern your flock with unfailing care. We come before you with a mix of excitement and anxiety as our parish prepares to welcome a new pastor.

  

Lord, calm our nervous hearts. Ease any fear of the unknown and help us to remember that the shepherd may change, but the Good Shepherd remains always with us.

  

We pray for the man you are calling to lead our community. Grant him the wisdom, strength, and courage to faithfully respond to your will. Prepare his heart to shepherd us and fill him with your grace so that he may guide us closer to your Son, Jesus.

  

Open our minds and hearts to receive him with warmth, hospitality, and a spirit of joyful anticipation. Help us to build a united community that supports our new pastor, working together for the growth of your Church and the glory of your name. 

  

We place this transition in your hands, trusting in your divine providence. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

  

Amen.