Meet Fr. Paintsil

Rev. Fr. David Obeng Paintsil is a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast, Ghana, and the founder of Behold Thy Mother Ministry. Inspired by his mother’s significant role in nurturing his vocation and his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he has dedicated his ministry to honoring Mary and promoting Marian devotion.

Ordained in November 2005 by His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson at St. Francis De Sales Cathedral in Cape Coast, Fr. Paintsil began his priestly service at Mary Queen of Peace Parish in Cape Coast. A year later, he accepted the challenge to lead St. Edward Catholic Church in Jukwa, a rural parish that, under his guidance, became one of the fastest-growing parishes in the Archdiocese. He spearheaded the construction of a new ultra-modern church building with a seating capacity of over 1,000, significantly enhancing the parish’s capacity to serve its congregation.

A hallmark of Fr. Paintsil’s ministry at St. Edward Parish was his commitment to promoting spirituality and prayer through devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He organized rosary crusades, retreats, and grand celebrations of Marian feasts, especially the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, attracting Catholics from across the Archdiocese and beyond. Following reported miraculous occurrences during these celebrations at Jukwa-Krobo, he received a donation of approximately 100 acres of land to establish a shrine. This led to the creation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Grotto, now the official pilgrimage center of the Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast, drawing thousands of pilgrims for retreats and spiritual renewal.

In 2015, marking his 10th anniversary as a priest, Fr. Paintsil established the Behold Thy Mother Foundation to address the psycho-social, spiritual, and economic needs of aged widows and pregnant women in rural communities. He organizes annual Christmas parties for over 250 aged widows in Ghana’s Central Region and envisions constructing a hospital dedicated solely to the care of the aged and pregnant women.

Amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Fr. Paintsil leveraged social media platforms to reach out to parishioners and Catholics worldwide. He began leading daily prayers of the Holy Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet online, attracting thousands of participants globally. This initiative revitalized many individuals’ prayer lives and served as a significant means of evangelization, helping lapsed Catholics return to the Church.

Currently, Fr. Paintsil is residing in the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, USA, he continues his ministry and is dedicated to leading people closer to Christ through the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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