From altar boy to Jesuit, Melvin Pius Friday, SJ, is the first Jesuit ordained from Liberia. His story is one of a vocation guided by God’s providence.
Melvin grew up surrounded by the nurturing presence of his parents, Mr Joseph Friday and Mrs Celestine Howe Friday. His upbringing in Caldwell, Liberia, was shaped by both structure and spiritual devotion – his father was a firm disciplinarian who prioritized his children’s well-being, and his mother was a pious woman whose devotion to God inspired Melvin’s early involvement as an altar boy at Holy Family Parish.
Melvin’s academic path began at Holy Family Catholic School and later led him to St Edward High School, where he graduated in June 2012.
His formative years were marked by uncertainty and quiet perseverance, yet providence never abandoned him. In 2013, a scholarship enabled him to study education at Bishop John Collins Teachers College at Stella Maris Polytechnic.
Liberia, throughout Melvin’s childhood and adolescence, was a nation rising from the ashes of two devastating civil wars that spanned several years and left deep social and economic wounds. Entire communities grappled with the trauma of displacement, poverty, and instability. Against this backdrop of national rebuilding and spiritual longing, Melvin’s pursuit of education and religious life was both remarkable and inspirational. His calling to the Society of Jesus became a testimony to an individual’s capacity to transcend circumstance – leading to not only personal transformation but also hope for a country in need of healing after years of war.
Inspired by the work and witness of Jesuits in Liberia, Melvin felt called to something deeper. In 2014, he was accepted into the Society of Jesus, embracing the transformative challenge of Jesuit formation. Leaving home for the first time, he entered the two-year novitiate in Benin city, Nigeria, where his vocation matured through discernment and commitment to the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Following his novitiate, Melvin was missioned to Arrupe Jesuit University in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he spent four years studying philosophy and humanities. In 2020, he returned to Liberia to begin his regency at Xavier Jesuit School, a period of active ministry marked by both profound growth and formidable challenges.
In 2022, Melvin continued his theological studies at Hekima University College in Nairobi, Kenya, and in March 2025, he was ordained a deacon. On 5 July, he was ordained as the first Jesuit priest from Liberia – a historic moment not only for his country but also for the North-West Africa Province of the Society of Jesus.
Reflecting on this journey, Melvin credits his late parents, siblings, relatives, and countless supporters whose love and encouragement sustained his vocation. He offers heartfelt thanks to Holy Family Parish, his Jesuit companions, and all who have guided him on this sacred path. “I am immensely grateful to the Society of Jesus, who accepted me to join this least Society that continues to shape who I am and will be”, he says.
Melvin remains committed to discerning God’s presence at every turn. He looks towards the future inspired by faith in God, courage, and unwavering trust in divine providence.
