Priest in Ghana recounts escape from car fire, urges devotion to the rosary

ACCRA, Ghana — A Ghanaian Catholic priest has encouraged devotion to the rosary after recounting his escape from a burning car, which he attributed to the intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In a reflection shared Oct. 14 — during the month dedicated to the traditional Catholic prayer of the rosary — Father David Obeng Paintsil , founder of the Global Rosary Network , recalled becoming trapped in his car while returning from a pastoral assignment 10 years ago.

Paintsil said he had led a three-day retreat at the invitation of another priest in a different diocese in Ghana. Before setting out on the return journey to his parish, he prayed the rosary and invited the Blessed Virgin Mary to accompany him.

After traveling for more than four hours, he heard an unusual noise from the car. He was about 15 minutes from his destination and stopped to investigate.

“I needed to stop and check what was happening,” the priest recalled during his reflection. “As soon as I parked the car and put off the engine, all that I saw was a huge fire. Boom! My car had caught fire.”

Paintsil said he tried to get out but found that the doors would not open and his seat belt remained…