The Parish Leader

The Rev. Patrick Agbeko ’21 MS completed his master’s in Church Management from Villanova while he was stationed as a parochial vicar at the Church of St. Raymond in Bronx, N.Y., but he’s had many opportunities to put his learning into action since returning to his native Ghana.

“Leadership in any organization is essential for transformation, but as a pastor who must make decisions concerning various aspects of the Church’s life, my leadership skills must be grounded in Catholic social teachings and ethical principles,” says Father Agbeko. “I saw that reflected in the curriculum from my very first course.”

He calls upon those leadership skills every day in the many roles he juggles in the Archdiocese of Accra, Ghana, both pastoral and administrative. As the parish priest of St. Dominic Savio Catholic Church in Afienya, he has many people relying on him for assistance and spiritual guidance and is also responsible for overseeing operations, finances and leadership.

In addition, Father Agbeko also pastors at two other parishes within the Diocese of Accra, serves as chaplain to the Archdiocesan Laity Council, and was recently named director of the Diocesan Pastoral Center in the Archdiocese of Accra.

Father Agbeko affirms that what he learned in his two years in the MSCM program contributed to strengthening his skills in leading, organizing, stewarding and planning overall.

“With the help of these four core competencies, the pastoral office is able to support, equip and accompany each parish in the Archdiocese of Accra,” he says. “They have really shaped the work I do in the pastoral office and in the parishes where I pastor.”