Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Famiyeh, Stanislaus
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/28/2022
Father Emmanuel Introduces Himself to Community (2022)
Father Emmanuel Stella Famiyeh I the priest for the Catholic churches in Loyal, Greenwood and Willard. Valorie Brecht/Clark County Press
By Valorie Brecht
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace…”
So begins the famous prayer commonly attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, a prayer that Father Emmanuel Stella Famiyeh feels aptly describes his calling: “to give my life for others, not just as a priest, but as a human being.”
Famiyeh serves as priest for the St. Anthony, St. Mary and Holy Family parishes in Loyal, Greenwood and Willard, respectively. He is relatively new to Clark County, although he has lived in the U.S. for 23 years.
He grew up in Axim, Ghana, an ancient slave trade city close to where the Prime Meridian and Equator meet. His parents were both teachers and he grew up attending Catholic school. Famiyeh was ordained a priest on July 22, 1990.
When asked why he became a priest, Famiyeh said, “I don’t know. It’s a calling.”
He served three parishes in Ghana from 1990-1999.
Then, “[Cardinal] Raymond Burke of the Diocese of La Crosse had sent an invitation to the Ghana parish, saying that he needed some priests to come. I was one of two chosen,” said Famiyeh.
He arrived in the U.S. in September 1999 and spent two weeks in La Crosse. After that, he was sent to the Stratford parish, where he served until the first week of February 2000. He then was transferred to Hillsboro and served there through mid-May of that year. After that, he went to Richland Center and was there from May 15, 2000, to July 1, 2011.
He then moved to Black River Falls (BRF) and served the BRF, Melrose and Alma Center parishes. When the Melrose and Alma Center parishes merged, he continued serving the joint parish and the BRF one. He was there until he was transferred to Loyal. He began his current role July 5, filling the role vacated by Father Leo Johnson Stanislaus, who had to return to India.
He said he is glad to be here and start a new chapter of his life.
“Ever since the first day I set my foot here, I loved it,” he said. “Everyone gels together—the friendship is so good.”
After having lived in Richland Center and Hillsboro, surrounded by farms, he was happy to be back in a farming community.
Famiyeh said his purpose as a pastor is to model Christ’s example as king, prophet and priest.
“I am to feed and tend the sheep through teaching, through sanctifying and through being in a leadership role,” he said.
“My task is to carry people’s burdens… When I serve the needs of others in the spirit of humility, it brings me joy. I want to share whatever I have been given. To share in the cross of Christ is to put everyone’s needs before your own,” he added.
Famiyeh’s interests include teaching music composition, following the principles of music theory such as melody, harmony and counterpoint. He also likes to write choral and instrumental music. He is a lifelong learner and has studied several languages, including Latin, French and German.
