JAN-FEB 2022 ISSUE 11

DIOCESAN
NEWSLETTER
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SEKONDI TAKORADI
" BISHOP ATTAKRUH PREACHES VOCATION AT JUABO
The Most Rev. John Baptist Attakruh has challenged the
youth of Wassa Juabo in the Wassa Amenfi Central District
to embraced the call to the religious and priestly life.
Bishop Attakruh made the call when he delivered the
homily in a thanksgiving Mass to climax a three-day
pastoral visit to Wassa Juabo, his hometown on Sunday,
January 2, 2022.
The Prelate said, “it has been 33years since I came to
celebrate my first mass, but unfortunately, no one has
been ordained after me from Juabo”.
He then urged the youth to respond to God’s call and
open themselves up to God’s grace.
Bishop Attakruh based his homily on the wise men who
followed the star to discover Jesus.
He said, “we as Christians once dwelt in darkness like the
wise men but through faith and grace have become heirs
to the kingdom”.
The bishop urged the faithful to rise up and shine, for their
light had come. The Lord, he said,” Comes to liberate
them; he comes to lead them into their own land”.
The Mass was concelebrated by Most Rev. Joseph Kweku
Essien, Bishop, Wiawso Diocese, Rev. Fr.
Gordon Cobbinah, (Parish Priest) and Rev. Fr. Benjamin
Doughan, (Bishop’s secretary)
Present at the celebration were Honorable Peter Yaw
Kwakye Ackah, (MP) and Honorable Patrick Hockson
Amponteng, (DCE).
The Catholic Church at Wassa Juabo was established in
1920 with four members, today has about 1, 700
members.

 HOLY CHILD COLLEGE LAUNCHES NEWSLETTER

The Holy Child College of Education, Takoradi on Thursday, February 17, 2022, launched an electronic
newsletter for the college at the Cornelia Connelly Hall.

Miss Lawrencia Ewurama Akuoko, the SRC President in a speech, highlighted the importance of the
newsletter to the students. She said, "Students need an outlet for their creativity, ideas, and developing
critical thinking skill."
Very Rev. Fr. Francis Lemaire, Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi and Guest
Speaker, praised the college for being innovative.
Fr. Lemaire urged the students to take advantage of this new opportunity to harness their talents and
abilities in the area of writing and reading.
Speaking on the theme, he reflected with the audience on the vision and mission of the college by
drawing analogue from the College Anthem.
Dr. Francis Hull Adams, Acting Principal of the College in a speech before the launching spoke about the
aim of the newsletter. He said, "HOLICoE Digest is intended to provide more visibility for the college, both
locally and internationally. This project also aims at portraying and showcasing the activities of the
college to the outside world and providing periodic updates about the college. The project also provides
opportunity for students to enhance their writing skills."
The electronic newsletter will be produced monthly by the college with the following as members of the
editorial board:
Editor- in - Chief
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Dolphyne
Associate Editor
Mr. Lawrence Ewusi-Mensah(Teacher)
Member (Teacher)
Mr. Emmanuel S. Gillette
Writers ( 2 students )
1.Racheal Weti Kulliams ( Level 300)
2. Baaba Derby ( Level 200)
Photographers ( 2 students)
1. Dorcas Manso( Level 100)
2. Emmanuella Nyarko ( Level 300)

Holy Child College of Education in Takoradi has thus become the first of the forty-six colleges of
education in Ghana to produce an electronic newsletter.
The launching ceremony was chaired by Mrs Regina Evenly Forson, a retired educationist.
Present at the ceremony were members of staff, both teaching and non-teaching.
 VICAR GENERAL VISITS APPIAHTSE EXPLOSION SCENE

Very Rev. Fr. Francis Kofi Lemaire, Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi
earlier today visited the Appiahtse community near Bogoso, the site of explosion yesterday.

Fr. Lemaire on behalf of the Bishop, Most Rev. John Baptist Attakruh and the faithful of the
Diocese expressed the condolences to the bereaved families of those affected by the tragic
incidence.
Fr. Lemaire also informed the displaced victims of the prayers of Bishop Attakruh and
expressed how he was saddened by the events of yesterday.
In consultation with Rev. Fr. Edward Cudjoe, the Parish Administrator of St. Michael's
Parish, Bogoso, the Bishop has made available the parish hall to be used temporarily to
accommodate the surviving but displaced victims.
In a related development, Most Rev. John Baptist Attakruh has appealed to all parishes to
offer any form of assistance: money, used clothes, non-perishable food items etc, to help
the victims.
The contributions should be channelled to Rev. Fr. Edward Cudjoe (0246853141) for onward
distributions to the victims.

This was contained in a release sent to all the Priests of the Diocese by Rev. Fr. Benjamin
Doughan, the Bishop Secretary.
 BISHOP ATTAKRUH ORDAINS THREE AS
DEACONS
Most Rev. John
The ceremony which took place at the Bishop Attakruh was full of
St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Airforce gratitude to the Parish
Base, Takoradi had in attendance
Baptist Attakruh parents, parishioners, and friends of
the ordinadi together with Priests and
Priest and the Parish
Pastoral Council for

on Friday, Religious from the Diocese.

Delivering the homily, Bishop
willingly accepting to host
the ordination ceremony

January 21, 2022 Attakruh urged the newly ordained

deacons to serve in humility. He said,
at a short notice.
Bishop Attakruh also used
" The act of arrogance shouldn't be
ordained three your life but serve with humility not
the occasion to remind the
faithful to pray for the
arrogance".
young men as Bishop Attakruh called on the
deacons to be grateful and prayerful.
victims of the Appiahtse
explosion. He expressed

transitory " Cultivate daily the spirit of gratitude

and learn to be prayerful", he said.
his condolences to the
families who lost their
The Prelate reminded the deacons
deacons for the that God has called them for a
loved ones to the inferno.
Rev. Fr. Flt. Lt. Jocab Ernest
reason. He said, "God has called you
Catholic Diocese not because of who you are but by
His special Grace. You must therefore
Kyei Quansah, the Parish
Priest on behalf of the

of Sekondi- serve as deacons . The ministry is for

Christ and not any individual or
Parish thanked the Bishop
for selecting the Catholic

Takoradi.
whatsoever ". community as host for this
year's Diaconate
Ordination. He said, " We
are grateful to the Bishop
to choosing to have this
ordination ceremony at
our Parish. And in the year
of the our Golden Jubilee
as a Parish this makes it
even more special for us".
The three newly ordained
deacons are:
Rev. Deacon ASARE,
Sylvester (Agona Amenfi
Parish)
Rev. Deacon BOB-KUMI,
Augustine (Oppon-Valley
Parish)
Rev. Deacon CROMWELL,
Martin (Agona Nkwanta
Parish).
SEKONDI-TAKORADI DIOCESE
GETS FIRST PRIEST MEDICAL
DOCTOR
The Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-
Takoradi over the weekend witnessed
the induction of one of her priests into

the Medical and Dental Council.

The priest, Rev. Fr. Dr. Thomas
McCarthy was ordained on July 29,
1995.
Dr. McCarthy began the journey in 2002
with senior secondary school science
classes as a private candidate,
culminating in him writing the Senior
Secondary School Certificate exams.
In the year 2011, Fr. McCarthy was
inducted into the Medical and Dental
Council as a BSc. Physician Assistant
(Medical).
His second induction over the weekend
into the Medical and Dental Council
makes Fr. McCarthy, the first priest
from the Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-
Takoradi and the third Catholic priest in
Ghana to achieve this honour.
BROTHERS ANNAN AND DARDOE
LAID TO REST
The Brothers of the Holy Cross in the District of West Africa on Friday, January 14, 2022, held
the Requiem Mass for their Brothers, Joseph K. B. Annan, C.S.C. and Daniel Dardoe, C.S.C.
The Mass which was celebrated at the District Center at Brafoyaw in Cape-Coast had Most
Rev. Mathias Kobina Nketiah as the main celebrant.
In his homily, Most Rev. Mathias Kobina Nketiah, Emeritus Archbishop of Cape Coast called
on Christians not be afraid of death. “Death will one day come to all of us. Yet, as believers,
we know that death has been conquered. Death, therefore is not the end of man.”
According to him, as Christians, “we have died with Jesus, entered into the tomb with Him,
and we have also risen with him through our baptism. In the same manner, when we
experience bodily death, we know that some day we will arise and experience the glory of
God.”
Archbishop Nketiah also commended Brothers Joseph Annan and Daniel Dardoe for their
commitment and sacrifice to the Church. He encouraged all present to learn from their
example of charity and service to God.
Brother Joseph K. A. Annan, C.S.C. was born on September 19, 1950. He profess his First
Vows on September 11, 1976, while his Final Vows was on March 19, 1983.
Brother Annan died on December 30, 2021 at the age of 71.
Brother Dardoe was born on January 26, 1956. He took his First Vows on July 28, 1984, while
his Final Vows was on December 29, 1990.
He died on December 6, 2021.
Present at the Requiem Mass were Most Rev. Mathias Kobina Nketiah, Most Rev. Joseph
Francis Kweku Essien, Most Rev. John Yaw Afokwaah, Most Rev. John Baptist Attakruh, Br.
John Affum, (District Superior) as well as a host of Priests, Religious Brothers and Sisters and
a cross section of the laity.

 SEKONDI-TAKORADI DIOCESAN PRIESTS

ELECTS NEW EXECUTIVES
The Sekondi-Takoradi Diocesan Priests' Association has elected new executives at the end of a three-day
meeting held from February 14-16, 2022, at the St. Kizito Pastoral and Catechetical Center at Apowa.

The theme for the meeting was ," The necessity of associating as Diocesan Priests and NUGDPA.
Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, the guest speaker, urged the priests to seek fraternal solidarity with
each other. He said, "Priests need to enjoy the company of each other."
Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum challenged the old Priests to reflect on their influence on the younger ones.
Very. Rev. Fr. Isaac Ebo Blay, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Society (PMS), led the Priests
through the activities of PMS, and how the Priests can promote PMS in the Diocese.
Mr. Emmanuel Kwamina Salia, Regional Manager of Catholic Education, also shared with the priests his
vision for the office and called for support from the local managers.
Very Rev. Fr. John Kennedy Mensah, leader for the Synod Committee, reminded the priests on the need to
create an enabling environment for the faithful to participate in the synodal process.
The three-day meeting concluded with the election of the following as the new executives :

Fr Emmanuel Dolphyne..... President

Fr Stephen Appiah-Kubi Amponsah...... Vice President
Fr Enoch Enimil..... Secretary
Fr John Allou Kofi..... .... Asst. Secretary
Fr Isaac Mensah......... Financial Secretary
Fr Michael Owusu......... Treasurer

Fr Francis Armo Jnr....... PRO

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Dolphyne, the newly elected president, on behalf of the new executives thanked the
priests for the trust repose in them.
He promised to listen to the Priests and stand with them in matters that affect them .

Fr. Dolphyne takes over from Very Rev. Fr. Philip A. Tandoh as the new president of the association for a
term of three years which is renewable for a second term.

Newly elected officers

Mr. Emmanuel K. Salia

Regional Manager, Catholic Education Unit
SEKONDI-TAKORADI DIOCESE BEGINS WORK ON
DEPSOCOM BUILDING
The Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi has begun

renovation works on a new office for the

Department of Pastoral and Social Communication.

The funds for the project were donated by the

Midwest Province of the Brothers of the Holy Cross
through the support of Brother Kenneth Haders, the
superior.

When completed the new office building will house

two studios, offices and a reception.

The building members of the National Catholic TV project

inspecting on-going works
 APOWA PARISH GET PRIESTS
NUMBER 16
The St. John the Evangelist Parish at Apowa in the Catholic Diocese of
Sekondi-Takoradi was recently blessed with the priestly ordination of Rev. Fr.
Stephen Daniels.
The ordination of Rev. Daniels brings to sixteen the number of men ordianed
to the Holy Priesthood from the parish which includes Most Rev. John
Bonnaventure Kwofie, CSSp and Most Rev. Joseph Francis Kweku Essien.
The information was disclosed by Most Rev. John Baptist Attakruh when he
ordained Rev. Daniels a priest for the Congregation of St. Joseph at the
parish.
Delivering the homily during the Mass of Ordination, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel
Dolphyne reminded Rev. Daniels that the priesthood is not about personal
glorification.
He said, "Anyone who aspires to the priesthood to enhance his own prestige
and power has misunderstood the meaning of this ministry at its root.
Anyone who wishes above all to achieve an ambition of his own, to attain
success for himself will always be a slave to himself and to public opinion".
The Ordination Mass was concelebrated by Very Rev. Fr. Francis Lemaire,
(Vicar General of the Diocese), Very Rev. Fr. Nadir Poleto, Vicar General of the
Congregation of St. Joseph, Very Rev. Fr. Augustine Musa Lebby as well as
other priests of the Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi and the Congregation of St.
Joseph
 BISHOP ATTAKRUH CONFIRMS 36 CANADIDATES AT
NKROFUL

The Most Rev. John Baptist Attakruh recently

conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on 36
candidates during a two-day pastoral visit to the St.
Augustine Parish at Nkroful.
Delivering the homily, Bishop Attakruh urged the
candidates to put their trust in God. He said, “Allow
God to be your strength and he will not let you
down but relying on human strength will fail us”.
The Mass was concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Benedict
Belieb, parish priest, Rev. Fr. James Nda, Rev. Fr.
Marino Kontoh and Rev. Fr. Joseph Enimil
The St. Augustine’s Parish was created in 2012 by
Most Rev. Matthias Kobina Nketsiah, then Apostolic
Administrator with Rev. Fr. Samuel Annan-Donkor
as the first Parish Priest.

 SCENES FROM THE LAUNCHING OF THE 70TH

ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LADY OF LOUDES SANCTUARY

IN OTHER NEWS
Fr. JAMES KAKU PROMOTED TO
SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE

Very Rev. Fr. James Kaku, Chaplain, Divine Mercy

Chaplaincy at Pataase in Kumasi has been
promoted to the rank of superintendent of Some youth from various parishes in the
police by the Police Council.

Takoradi and Sekondi deaneries recently
The information was made known on February
1, 2022.

organised a clean-up exercise at the

Fr. James Kaku was ordained a priest for the
Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi on
secretariat on Feb 23, 2022.
A similiar exercise will take place on
December 8, 2001 by Most Rev. John Martin
Darko of blessed memory.

monday, March 7, 2022 at the new

Produced by

Bishop's house.
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