Nigerian Catholic priest dies after being told to leave US over expiring visa

A Nigerian Catholic priest, Rev. Benjamin Madu who had been preparing to leave the United States after his religious worker visa expired has died in Massachusetts, church officials have confirmed.

Madu, a priest of the Diocese of Abakaliki in Ebonyi State, died on Thursday after serving for several years as a hospital chaplain and parish priest in Massachusetts.

In announcing his death, Father Jim Achadinha, pastor of the Catholic communities of Gloucester and Rockport, described it as a “devastating loss.”

Achadinha said Madu “served Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish with true joy, kindness, and generosity.”

Authorities have not disclosed the cause of death.

However, a spokesperson for the Essex County District Attorney’s Office said foul play is not suspected.

An autopsy was expected to be carried out while officials worked to contact Madu’s relatives in Nigeria.

According to NBC News, a person familiar with the matter said the priest died by suicide.

Archbishop Richard Henning of the Archdiocese of Boston extended condolences to those mourning the priest.

He said, “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.”

Madu had served primarily as a chaplain at Salem Hospital since 2021 while also ministering at St. Ann’s and Our Lady of Good Voyage in Gloucester and St. Joachim’s in Rockport. Tuesday would have marked the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood at St. Theresa Cathedral in Abakaliki.

The priest had been due to return to Nigeria this month after his R-1 religious worker visa approached its July 29 expiration date.

Church officials said his home diocese instructed him to return in early July instead of later in the month as originally planned. Under U.S. immigration regulations, he was required to leave the country before applying to renew the visa.

His planned departure had deeply saddened parishioners, many of whom regarded him as “Father Ben” and praised his ministry to patients, families and the local community.

In a farewell message published on the parish website last month, Madu expressed his disappointment at having to leave the United States.

He wrote: “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. My heart is broken, yet my joy remains.”

Despite the setback, he assured parishioners he hoped to return one day.

He added that he would gladly come back to continue his ministry and would miss the community he had come to love.

The Diocese of Abakaliki has not yet issued a public statement on his death.