“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in Despair – Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” -2 Corinthians 4: 8-9
After the Liberian civil war, which spanned from 1989 to 1997 and reignited between 1999 and 2003, the Catholic Church in Liberia faced devastating setbacks. Once a beacon of education, healthcare and faith formation, the Church was left with destroyed schools, desecrated parishes, displaced clergy and communities struggling to find hope amid traumas.
Catholic institutions had historically been vital to Liberia’s development, running some of the best schools and hospitals across the country. However, two brutal wars dismantled much of this infrastructure, leaving the faithful in great need of both spiritual healing and material rebuilding.
The Catholic community, though battered, remained resilient. In Monrovia, Gbarnga and other regions, priests, nuns and lay leaders reopened churches even in makeshift structures. They sought ways to rekindle people’s faith after years of suffering.
International Catholic organizations also began helping in reconstruction, providing funding, sending missionaries and supporting local dioceses. But rebuilding after such profound devastation required not only global assistance but also contributions from Liberians in the diaspora, many of whom carried both the scars of war and the deep desire to restore what had been lost.
Liberian immigrants in Columbus
In Columbus, a small but active community of Liberian Catholics has made an impact by supporting the church back home. Among them are immigrants S. Cooper Davay, Emmanuel Massaquoi and Larmie Molubah, who hold a deep pride in their heritage and a firm commitment to their Catholic faith. These men recognized that while many Liberians had migrated to America for safety and opportunity, they also had a responsibility to honor and support the Church that shaped them and sustained their people even through war.
With the help of the Catholic Foundation in Columbus, the three established “The Father Paul Voisard Memorial African Mission Fund” in 2023. The Fund was created in honor of the late Father Paul Voisard, a missionary priest who served first in the Republic of Guinea in the 1950s and 1960s before later crossing into Liberia, where he served as parish priest in the Guinea-Liberian bordering towns of Sanniquellie and Ganta while ministering tirelessly to Liberian Catholics until the outbreak of the civil war.
Father Voisard’s legacy touched countless lives through pastoral care, educational initiatives and missionary service, leaving behind a model of generosity and remembrance. For Cooper, Emmanuel and Larmie, honoring Father Voisard’s memory through this fund was a way of acknowledging the gift of missionary dedication while also meeting the needs of today’s Liberian Church.
Partnership with diocese
The Father Paul Voisard Memorial Fund is not a solitary effort. Instead, these Liberian immigrants have partnered closely with the Diocese of Columbus and the Catholic Foundation. The Diocese’s Mission Office has played a particularly significant role in guiding the initiative, ensuring that resources raised in Ohio reach Liberia in ways that strengthen the local church. By collaborating with formal church structures, the fund demonstrates transparency and fosters real connections between parishes across continents.
The fund was further strengthened by the generosity of multiple Catholic parishes in Columbus. St. Dominic, St. Mary, Mother of God in German Village and St. Joseph Cathedral offered financial support to the fund during the mission appeal in 2023. These communities embraced the opportunity to express solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Liberia, demonstrating how universal the Catholic Church truly is. Through parishioners’ generosity, the fundraising was not just about dollars but also about strengthening the global bonds of faith.
Impact and vision for the future
The goal of the Father Paul Voisard Memorial African Mission Fund is to provide ongoing support to the Liberian Catholic Church. This includes helping rebuild parishes damaged during the war, funding education initiatives, assisting seminarians in their formation and offering resources for pastoral work. By doing so, the fund provides hope and encouragement for priests, religious and lay leaders on the ground who continue to navigate the challenges of poverty, lack of resources and rebuilding after conflict.
For the Liberian immigrant community in Columbus, the initiative is also an expression of gratitude. Having found safety and opportunities in Ohio, they now give back by remembering both the sacrifices of missionaries like Father Voisard and the resilience of the Catholic faithful in Liberia. Their mission demonstrates the dynamic way immigrant communities can bridge cultures and continents through acts of faith.
The 2023 mission fundraising event was only the beginning. Cooper, Emmanuel and Larmie envision a future where the fund grows, drawing wider support both from the Diocese of Columbus and Catholic communities throughout the United States. They see this as a grassroots effort that will sustain the Liberian church for years to come while also strengthening the sense of global Catholic unity.
In the end, the story of Liberian Catholics after the civil war is one of faith persisting in tragedy, of communities rebuilding from ruins and of immigrants carrying forward that faith into new lands. The Father Paul Voisard Memorial African Mission Fund is a living testimony to the resilience of Liberian Catholics, their gratitude toward missionaries and the unifying nature of the Catholic Church across the world.
S. Cooper Davay is the co-founder if the Father Paul Voisard Memorial African Mission Fund.
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