Arlington Diocese, Virginia
Akwaaba! Woezor!!
The St. Josephine Bakhita Ghana Catholic Community of the Diocese of Arlington, VA is a vibrant community of Ghanaian Catholics who celebrate Mass the Ghanaian way, led by our Chaplain Rev. Fr. Augustine Kofi Owusu.
Our church community is part of the St. Mary of Sorrows Parish , located in Fairfax, Virginia. St. Mary of Sorrows is within the Diocese of Arlington, which is under the direction of Most Reverend Michael Francis Burbidge.
We invite all Ghanaian Catholics in the Arlington Diocese to join our community as we celebrate our faith and worship the Ghanaian way.

Rev. Fr. Augustine Kofi Owusu
Chaplain
Rev. Fr. Augustine Kofi Owusu is the Chaplain of the St. Josephine Bakhita Ghana Catholic Community of Arlington Diocese, since October 1, 2023. He was ordained in 2009 and his first appointment was to the Pankrono Parish as an Assistant Pastor.
Prior to joining the GCC Arlington VA, he served in various parishes and positions in Ghana including St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Afram Plains, Vocations Director and Youth Chaplain for three years, President of Priests Association, Parish Priest of St. John of God Parish, Koforidua, Kumasi, Board Member of Pool Fund Kumasi Archdiocese, Parish Priest of St. John of the Cross Parish, Kronum, Board Member of Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi Cooperative Society for Development (CAKCSOD) and Suame Deanery Youth Chaplain.
Rev. Fr. Owusu holds a Diploma in Theology, Bachelor in Sacred Theology, Diploma in Education, and a Masters in Business Administration and Human Resurces.

St. Josephine Bakhita (c. 1869–1947) was a Sudanese-born former slave who became a Catholic nun and was later canonized as a saint. Born in the Darfur region of Sudan, she was kidnapped by Arab slave traders as a young girl and endured years of brutal slavery. Her captors gave her the name "Bakhita," meaning "fortunate" in Arabic, though her early life was anything but.
Eventually, she was sold to an Italian diplomat and taken to Italy, where she gained her freedom through a legal battle. She was placed under the care of the Canossian Sisters in Venice, where she converted to Christianity and was baptized in 1890, taking the name Josephine. She later joined the Canossian Daughters of Charity, dedicating her life to prayer, service, and kindness.
Bakhita became known for her deep faith, humility, and compassion, inspiring many with her story of endurance and forgiveness. She spent over 50 years in religious life, serving the poor and sick. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 2000, making her the first saint from Sudan. Today, she is venerated as the patron saint of human trafficking survivors, symbolizing hope and redemption.



- Sundays - 1:30 to 3:30pm
- Call for Information
St. Mary of Sorrows Parish
- 10500 Zion Dr.
Fairfax, VA 22032
- Sundays - 10:00am
- Wednesdays -
7:00 to 9:00pm - Saturdays - 6:00 to 9:00pm
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For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
