Father Paul Ogalo, the Migori County Catholic priest who captured national attention with his rap-infused sermons, has made a quiet but determined comeback after a period away from the public eye.
Known widely as Father Masaa, and affectionately called Sweet Paul by some of his followers, the priest is based at Rakwaro Parish in Migori County, where he tends a farm alongside his congregation and preaches about agriculture, innovation, entrepreneurship and environmental conservation.
Father Masaa’s Viral Video that Changed Everything
It was a 2018 video that set everything in motion. Footage of Father Masaa rapping in his priestly robes during a sermon spread rapidly online, drawing a wave of reactions from across Kenya.
While critics questioned whether such an approach belonged inside a Catholic church, the majority of responses were supportive.
“There is criticism, but it is surmountable because a lot of people, after I explain to them what I do and why I do it, they see the sense and actually support it,” Father Masaa said.
The backlash from certain Catholic leaders was more formal. Some felt his style ran contrary to church doctrine, and he was summoned before being suspended for a year. Rather than being broken by the experience, he says it strengthened his resolve.
“I took it positively because whatever you do, you expect both positive and negative criticism. So all you do is conduct a self-appraisal, and if you find yourself on the right path, then the negative criticism should give you even more power and energy to move forward,” he said.
Preaching What He Practises
During the period he seemed to vanish from public view, Father Masaa was far from idle. He spent time planting trees, grass and flowers in homes and institutions, focusing on environmental health projects that align with the practical message he carries into his sermons.
“Well, not really underground. It is only that I’ve been doing a lot of things off the radar,” he explained. At Rakwaro Parish, his homilies now weave in everyday topics that young people can connect with, from using technology wisely to investing in farming.
He deliberately uses language familiar to students and youth, aiming to meet them where they are rather than speaking over their heads.
“So if a minister is not prepared to know how to handle the youth, even that apostolate is likely not to bear fruit,” he cautioned.
The approach, he insists, is rooted in authenticity. His farm at the parish is not just a backdrop; it is part of the message itself.
“I want to preach about practical things. We preach and practise what we preach. That is how we evangelise the world,” Father Masaa said.
For the faithful of Migori who had been waiting for his return, the rapping priest is back, and very much still in tune.
