Fr. Bejamin Iheanacho Onyemachi, is a priest of the Sons of Mary Mother of Mercy Religious Order. He arrived in the United States in July of 2022 and had his settling-in experience at Holy Apostles Catholic Church in Meridian. He had two months of Spanish immersion in Morelia, Mexico. He was subsequently sent to Saint Augustin’s students’ center University of Idaho in Moscow, to fill in for six months. Afterwards he was appointed the Pastor at St. Mary’s Parish in Moscow and Genesee where he served for three years. He is now back to Holy Apostles where his ministry as a missionary priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise started.

Father Ben, as he is fondly called, grew up in a faithful Catholic family in Nigeria. Attended minor Seminary at Mercy seminary Bende. He studied philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary in Enugu. He was sent to Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri for his theological studies. He obtained a Post graduate diploma in education at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. All these institutions are in Nigeria.

He was ordained a Catholic Priest on July 24, 2010, and served for twelve years as a priest in Nigeria prior to coming to the United States as missionary. Ten out of his twelve years of service in Nigeria he spent as high school principal.

Fr. Ben loves growing plants, travelling, fishing and other outdoor games, soccer is his favorite sport.