Father Richard Opoku has been warmly welcomed by members of his new parish in Millbrook and Nestleton.
By Karl Wysotski
Good News, Millbrook has a new priest.
Bishop Daniel Miehm from the Peterborough Diocese has assigned Father Richard Opoku as the parish priest for St. Thomas More Parish here in Millbrook and St. Bernadette Mission in Nestleton. Since Father Tony retired back in July, parishioners have been waiting patiently for a new parish priest. On February 10th, Father Richard Opoku arrived and moved into the parish rectory on King St. across from the church.
Father Richard is originally from Ghana where he was born and raised in Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana. While in high school, Father was inspired by the Spiritan Missionaries ,so much so, that he knew that he wanted to become one of them. After completing high school in 1996, he entered the Spiritan Seminary and spent the next ten years studying in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. After his ordination in 2006, the Spiritan Order sent him to Taiwan where he worked in the prison minis-try while he learned to speak Mandarin fluently. In 2011, Fr. Richard moved back to Ghana and spent the next 10 years working in the Arch Diocese of Kumasi as a parish priest as well as a chaplain in the hospital and prison. In 2025, the Spiritan Order sent Fr. Richard to Canada where priests were most needed and in short supply. It is now our good fortune to have Father here in Millbrook.
On Sunday March 8th, a special Installation Mass was held at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Bishop Miehm officiated in the Rite of Installation, a very solemn ceremony where by Fr. Richard Opoku was installed as a new parish priest. The church was packed with parishioners and guests, while the sacristy was standing room only with the Bishop and nine priests from all parts of the province. A wonderful service was followed by a luncheon in the parish hall. A once in a lifetime event for Father Richard.
As a relatively young man, Father Richard comes to the parish with the determination to work hard in helping the parish grow, especially in encouraging more young families to attend Mass and partake in parish activities. We have an aging community here and Father will do whatever he can to help the parish by visiting the sick, the elderly and reaching out to former parishioners. That said, we can all rejoice and give thanks now that Father Richard is hereto inspire and pray with us here in Millbrook and Nestleton.