Father Raphael Assamah
Meet Fr. Raphael
I was born on July 4, 1976 in Ghana. My basic and tertiary education were in Ghana. After discerning the voice of God through retreats and spiritual directions, I entered St. Paul's Major Seminary in 1999 to study Philosophy, Sociology and Spirituality. In 2003, I studied theology and education at St. Peter's Regional Seminary in Pedu, Cape Coast, Ghana. After a successful pastoral year, three of us were ordained as Deacons on January 6, 2008 and later into the priesthood on August 23, 2008 for the Archdiocese of Accra.
My first assignment was at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. While there I oversaw the youth programs and was chaplain to some societies in the Archdiocese. There was a need for priests to assist in Jamaica, so the door was opened for volunteers, and I opted as fidei donum (the Gift of Faith) priest for the Archdiocese of Kingston, Jamaica.
While in Jamaica I worked at St. Pius X and St. Peter Claver Catholic Churches respectively. It wasn’t until later that I was asked to assist as a Priest in the Diocese of Des Moines where I served in Shenandoah and Hamburg as the Pastor of St. Mary’s Churches. I obtained my Master’s in Theology and Christian Ministry from the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Recently, Bishop Joensen asked me to serve as the Pastor of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish in Des Moines and I arrived here on the 7th of July to assume my new duties. I enjoy walking, music, playing the guitar, reading, cooking, washing my own car and meeting people.
Parish
News
Parish Picnic
All parishioners are invited to gather for our annual Parish Picnic this weekend, Sunday, September 20, 12-3pm in the school gym. Whether you are looking to meet new faces or […]
HVAC Capital Campaign
Please view the video that explains the problems that we have been experiencing over the past few years with the heating and cooling system. Replacing an HVAC system is expensive. […]
Music in the Park
We look forward to another fun evening of Music in the Park. Join us on October 4th, 4-6 p.m. at Colby Park. Join fellow St. Theresa parishioners and friends for […]
2026-2027 Faith Formation Registration
Welcome Families! We are preparing for a wonderful year of learning to live more fully in Jesus’ love. Our first session on September 9th is important and we ask you […]
Cards & Games
Want to laugh, meet new people, and win a game or two? Come, join us for Cards and Games on the second Tuesday of every month in the East Meeting […]