Christ the King church in Sasstown is a parish in the diocese of Cape Palmas.  Sasstown is the town where some of first Irish SMA Missionaries landed to begin the work of evangelization in Liberia’ in the early part of the Twentieth Century. 

It was from here that other parts of Liberia received the Catholic faith. The SMA Fathers’ long attachment to the Kru Coast, was sadly interrupted during the protracted Civil War in 1989 that lasted 14 years when our confreres were compelled to leave. After the cease-fire, the representatives of the diocese of Cape Palmas regularly visited Sasstown. The Parish Church has been refurnished after years of neglect. But the Rectory was damaged beyond repair. The Convent and the School are gradually being renovated.

With his own long association with the SMA, Bishop Andrew Karnley (diocese of Cape Palmas) requested our Society (SMA) to return to the Kru Coast. We returned there in 2016. Since our return, the Parish has witnessed a significant growth both of the people attending Mass in Sasstown, and in the other four outstations. Moreover we are trying to open two new outstations. We the SMA priests here are involved in the pastoral care of the people in the parish and outstations and also in the school by teaching religious education and French.

I remember a nice experience i had the very day i was going to my place of appointement, sasstown. The road was very bad and my car was stocked in the mud for 3 hours under the rain. it was a baptism. we have to come down and find solution. Finally we were lucky there was a tractor who came and rescue us.

 

Since my arrival here last year’ I was told that there is one outstations that since the war in liberia no priest visited. It is Deoh outstation.  So I planed to visit Deoh .  It is about 7 hours walk around the sea coast  and we have to cross three rivers with cano . It is no easy but it  was a Nice expérience.  After 26 years without any visit of the priest, the  community exist again by the help of the catechist who resigned just before my arrival. I was welcommed like à politician’  the whole village was waiting for me on the road, dressed in White and singing.  I was chocked  to meet à vibrant community after all these pass years. They  were like flock without Shepherd and they were very happy to see the priest.

The church building was destroyed but they made a branches harpatam for their celebrations. those who left the church many years came and join them. I stay there for 3 days  and i came back to sasstown.

Sasstown mission is a challenging mission.and i think the présence of the sma here is very important. We are happy to be here and work for the salvation of the people of God following the footsteps of our founder.

 

Moise SABAGA

Sasstown – Liberia