Skip to content
GLOUCESTER, Mass. USA— The Catholic communities of Cape Ann and the wider North Shore are in deep mourning following the sudden and unexpected passing of the Reverend Father Benjamin Okwy Madu. Father Ben, as he was affectionately known to his parishioners, committed suicide on the evening of Thursday, July 2, 2026. He was 54 years old.
The timing of his passing has added a profound layer of grief to the local community. Father Ben was scheduled to return to his homeland of Nigeria later this month due to strict religious visa regulations that cut his pastoral mission in the United States short. Tragically, he was also just days away from celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, which would have marked a major milestone on July 7.
A Heartfelt Farewell Cut Short
Only a week prior to his death, Father Ben published a poignant farewell message in the parish newsletter, expressing his deep sadness at being forced to leave the community he had come to love.
“Sincerely, it is not my wish to return home right now, but circumstances beyond my control have warranted that my time in the United States come to an end,” Father Ben wrote. “My heart is broken, yet my joy remains. I will miss the home I found away from home… I will deeply miss the seaside, where I often drive to after Mass to call my family and hear about their Sundays.”
Father Ben joined the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport in April 2022, serving as an assistant priest at weekend liturgies across Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. He also served faithfully as a priest-chaplain at Salem Hospital, providing comfort to the sick and dying.Parishioners remembered him as a holy man who brought a constant, radiant smile and deeply moving, from-the-heart homilies to the pulpit every single week.
Church Leadership and Parishioners React
The Archdiocese of Boston and local parish leaders expressed absolute devastation over the loss.
“We extend our prayers and heartfelt condolences to his family, brother priests, and friends in Nigeria, as well as the many people Fr. Benjamin Madu ministered to here in Cape Ann and at Salem Hospital,” said Archbishop Richard G. Henning in a statement. “We now entrust Fr. Madu to the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father and we ask the Lord to bring comfort and healing to all who mourn his passing.”
Father Jim Achadinha, pastor of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport, shared the collective heartbreak of his congregation. “Our dear friend, Father Benjamin Okwy Madu, died suddenly… We are all heartbroken,” he stated, urging the community to unite in prayer for the late priest’s grieving family worldwide.
A special Holy Mass for the soul of Father Ben was celebrated on the morning of Saturday, July 4, 2026, at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, where friends, neighbors, and grieving parishioners gathered to honor his life, legacy, and dedicated service.
ABT News will continue to provide updates on funeral arrangements and memorial funds as information is made available by the family and the Archdiocese.
By
Hamilton3847 says: 
