On Saturday, 12th August 2023, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, the Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, presided at Holy Mass during which he ordained on nine (9) Deacons as Priests for the Diocese of Koforidua. Concelebrating with the Prelate were Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare (Auxiliary Bishop of Accra Archdiocese), the Vicar General, Monsignori, as well as scores of Priests across the length and breadth of the Diocese and beyond. This colourful and solemn celebration, which was hosted by the Koforidua Deanery, took place at the Madonna School. Also in attendance were Catholic faithfuls, family relatives, benefactors and benefactresses, friends and loved ones of the Ordianadi, Religious Brothers, Sisters and Seminarians. It is of interest to note that in the history of the Diocese, the day’s event was a very historic one, because the nine deacons who were ordained into the priesthood, was the second highest when after twenty-two years, ten deacons were also ordained as priests in 2001 at a similar occasion by the then Bishop of Koforidua, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle (now the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast).
In a brief homily delivered by the Bishop, he expressed his gratitude to the Parents of the Ordinandi for offering their sons to be ordained for Mother Church, saying, “Today, these our sons are the center of attention of the People of God, symbolically represented by the families and parish communities which they come from. They fill here with their prayers and singing, with their sincere and deep affection, their authentic emotion, their human and spiritual joy.”
Reflecting on the chosen Readings, the Chief-Shepherd of Koforidua Diocese addressed those he ordained to be mindful of the fact that “many today have accepted the call to the Priesthood but are not doing the work of the Priest.”He exhorted them to exercise their sacred duty of teaching, sanctifying, pastoring in the name of Christ, in humility and obedience; imparting to everyone the Word of God which they have received with joy, meditating in prayer and contemplation and to believe what they teach and practice, adding that they must celebrate the Mass and other Sacraments in faith and reverence. He also entreated the faithful to pray for them and compliment them with good counsel.

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One of the enviable traits of the Catholic Church is the number of years and training involved in our priestly formation. It entails ten years of intense teaching, training, and learning. The formation requires a lot of money and other resources. In view of that, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum has decided that on the occasion of his 40th priestly Anniversary, which falls on 17th July 2023, he will raise funds to support the training of future priests for the Diocese of Koforidua.

The third quarter of each year (July to September) is noted for priestly ordination ceremonies and first solemn Thanksgiving Masses of the newly ordained priests. The joy of families and friends as well as parishioners of the newly ordained priests is overwhelming during such celebrations. Priests who are already in the Lord’s vineyard are full of excitement as they welcome their new brothers to join them in the priestly and pastoral ministry. Ordinations ceremonies become the top priority on our schedules as Catholics.

Many of us have the desire to single handedly sponsor a seminarian, be it a family member or a parishioner, but we do not have the means to do that all by ourselves. The opportunity is here, let us all put our pennies together to fulfill this desire. By supporting the seminarian fund, you have helped raised a priest for Mother Holy Church.

A priest may come from a particular family but he belongs to all. He is chosen by God from among us, set aside, ordained through the Bishop and given back to us. Between the calling of men to formation houses /seminaries and ordination, family members and personal benefactors of individual seminarians provide personal needs to the would-be-priest. The Diocese, out of its meager resources, has to support seminarians with tuition fees, feeding, maintenance of seminary structures, utilities, books and other learning materials, not forgetting the seminarian “pocket money”.

In the past, “Rome” and other foreign donors brought logistics resources and even personnel to help seminarians’ formation. Manna has stopped falling, those days are gone! Though subsidy may come from Rome, it is just a widow’s mite to support the bigger effort that we have to provide for locally. The individual seminarian families cannot do this alone, the priests and the bishop cannot do this alone, they have nothing unless we give them, the seminarians themselves are helpless. It is our collective responsibility as a diocese to supplement whatever help we get from abroad and other benefactors.
The diocese spends over GHc250,000.00 on our seminarians each year with the help of some few individuals who contribute their widow’s mite each month. We appreciate the efforts of such donors.

We are appealing to all people of Goodwill within and outside the diocese, religious groups, private organizations, individual families, non-Catholics, both home and abroad to contribute to the seminarians’ funds that the Bishop is establishing through his 40th anniversary to sustain the training of seminarians’ formation. Be a partner to this vision. Support the fund monthly, quarterly, or yearly to raise our future priests in whichever amount you can and let the Lord open the gate of heaven and pour down His blessings upon you and your entire generation.

SUPPORT A WORTHY COURSE! SUPPORT BISHOP JOSEPH AFRIFA AGYEKUM’S SEMINARIANS’ FUND!

On Saturday 25th March 2023, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua Diocese, invited all the graduating students of the catholic schools of the Diocese of Koforidua to Our Lady of Good Counsel Grotto, a Marian Sanctuary at Kwahu Tafo for a pilgrimage to seek the face of God through the intercession of Mother Mary for success in the upcoming West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

This is an annual spiritual programme for WASSCE Candidates in catholic schools of the Diocese and for Catholics Students in non Catholic Senior High Schools within the Diocese of Koforidua. During this annual programme, the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese, interacts with the candidates, gives them pieces of advice and words of encouragement and prays with and for them.

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