St Matthew Ayariga Catholic Church to be established in Texas

The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth has announced the establishment of St Matthew Ayariga Catholic Church in Arlington, Texas. This will be the first Catholic parish in the world named after the Ghanaian martyr, and the first Ghanaian national Catholic parish in the United States.

Matthew Ayariga was a Ghanaian migrant worker who was killed by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Libya on February 15, 2015, alongside 20 Coptic Orthodox Christians. Reports indicate that Ayariga was offered the chance to renounce his faith to save his life but refused, choosing to die with his fellow captives. In 2023, Pope Francis announced that the 21 martyrs would be inscribed in the Roman Martyrology.

The formal dedication of the new parish is scheduled to take place through three Masses from January 29 to 31, 2027. Archbishop Gabriel Anokye of Kumasi is expected to attend the ceremony. The parish was established to serve the growing Ghanaian Catholic community in North Texas, which has worshipped at St Joseph Church in Arlington since 2007.