The Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia has announced the sudden death of Very Reverend Father Alphonsus B. Mombo, rector of St. Charles Lwanga Pre major Seminary in Pipeline, Paynesville city.
Father Mombo died on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, following a brief illness. He was 57 years old.
“Father Mombo served the archdiocese faithfully and generously, particularly in the formation of young men preparing for the priesthood,” the Very Reverend Father Ambrose Dayouga Kroma, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia said in a statement Thursday.
“His dedication to priestly formation will always be remembered with gratitude.”
Father Mombo’s passing has sent shock waves through Liberia’s Catholic community, prompting calls for prayer and Masses for the repose of his soul.
The archdiocese has asked priests and the faithful to celebrate Holy Mass and to offer the Rosary in his memory.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been disclosed. The archdiocese said further information regarding services will be communicated in due course.
This is how one of the lay faithful, Zoquay Beysolow Konneh remembered the fallen Priest: There are many memories I could recall with Rev. Fr. Alphonsus Mombo but one of the most memorable moments was on my wedding day.
Being a very good Priest to me, I had asked him to officiate my wedding, though he was not from my Parish. I wanted a Priest who knew me so well to preach at my wedding and at the time, he was my best choice owing to the relationship we had built while I was working at the Catholic Media Center-Radio Veritas at the time.
Fr. Mombo had agreed and he offered to provide some extra counseling alongside our six-month counseling classes we had at my parish. All went well and the counseling classes at my Parish ended.
After the completion of our counseling, the wedding was planned.
With just few days to the wedding, I was making my rounds of calls to touch base with all of those in the wedding and when I placed a call to Fr. Mombo, he then told me that he had a quick assignment out of town but he had already asked one of his brother-priests to officiate the wedding.
I felt so bad knowing that I really wanted him as my Chief celebrant, but I knew that as a Priest, he had to respond to abrupt situations and events.
I had in my mind that Father’s name was already printed in the program, but he was not coming anyways. That was it.
On the day of my wedding, we had arrived at the church, and I was seated in the car anxiously waiting to see which Priest Father had sent to replace him.
Then the procession started with the religious at the beginning of the Mass.
BOOM!!! The man who said he was not making it to my wedding was at the end of the line wearing his full CASSOCK as the Chief Celebrant..
That moment brought me so much joy…….
Father was one person who used to like teasing people and he was very jovial.
You had to know him to know the person he was..
He was bold… Sometimes tough and sometimes soft….
Indeed, we have lost a very good man..
Sleep on Padre. We will miss you, Father Mombo.
