“All over the years, my whole life has been Music, Liturgy and Culture”. These words speak of a man called Rev. Bro. Francis Pius Kwaku Agyemang SVD. “Bro. Pius” as he is popularly known, was born at Kyekyewere, on 3rd September 1944. His father was the late Opanin Bernard Kofi Gyasi, alias Bernard Owusu who hailed from Bemme, five miles away from Kyekyewere, Ghana.
Because of his deep knowledge of Asante culture, he was popularly called ͻbenfo Gyasi. “Ekoͻba” Rev. Bro. Pius Agyemang SVD is said to have been born under very mysterious circumstances. One fine Wednesday morning, the mother went to a nearby farm with a friend for some foodstuff. She was then expecting a baby. Little did she know that she was going to give birth on the farm? With the help of her friend, she gave birth to a baby boy, washed him in the River Abankorͻ and put him in a basket.
As the two women got home with the baby, it was all joy and jubilation. His mother recounted this story so many times during her life time. She used to add that a native spiritualist once approached her and prophesied that the baby would grow up to be a religious person and a great man.
Bro. Agyemang recounts that this story about his birth might have inspired him as a young boy in the choice of his vocation. His mother’s junior sister, Nana Theresa Addae who was a Catholic, always took him and her children to church. She was in the Singing Band and made sure that the young Agyemang was near the group.
THE CALL TO SERVE THE LORD
A very kind Catechist, Mr. Boateng also seeing the potentials in young Agyemang encouraged him to sing and to lead the morning and evening prayers. As he grew up, the youngster became more and more committed to the Catholic Church in the community.
He was not baptized until he was in class six in 1956. Those days they had to learn catechism for three years. After they had been fully prepared, all the fifty catechumens had to walk for over fifty miles to Offinso Old Town where they received Baptism. He took Francis as his Christian name.
Rev. Bro. Pius during his youthful years approached Rev. Fr. Boottsman, SMA, Rector at the Jamasi Preparatory Seminary to seek further explanation and who encouraged him to go to Nsawam to find out more about the Society of the Divine Word, in Latin “Societatis Verbi Divini” (SVD).
At Nsawam – Adoagyri, he met Rev. Fr. Lawrence Thornton, SVD, Superior, and some young men in cassock. He stayed there for three days and Fr. Thornton took him through the preliminaries and emphasised that SVD at that time had not been giving the permission to start the seminary programme and that they were only training Brothers. He encouraged the young Agyemang and told him the story of the Great St. Francis of Assisi who was a Brother and later became a Priest.
After two years of studies, he was admitted to the Novitiate in 1962. Out of 22 candidates who started as Postulants, the number reduced to 15 when they entered the Novitiate and only 8 made their First Profession of Vows in 1964. Just at the time that they were completing the Novitiate, a directive came from Rome that Brothers should be given higher education.
They were to choose between Teacher Training College and Secondary School. That directive saw the establishment of a Secondary School for Brothers at Adoagiyri/Nsawam It was named after St. Martin de Porres (then Blessed Martin de Porres of Peru, South America). On completing Secondary School in 1968, he was assigned to St. Joseph Parish Adoagyri to assist Rev. Fr. Francis Beemsterboer, SVD who was a very good Liturgist and had interest in African Liturgy and Music.
It was around this time (1968) that Vatican II Document had been promulgated and fresh ideas were coming up in the quest to discourage the use of Latin in favour of vernacular songs. Fr. Beemsterboer therefore encouraged the young Bro. Pius to compose New Ghanaian Songs for the Mass.
Bro. Pius composed a Mass in Akan, which he called the “people’s” Mass but later translated into English. Excerpts of this Mass are used in the Catholic Hymnal of Ghana (No. 72, Lord Have Mercy, Holy, Holy Holy and Lamb of God). It was after this composition of the Akan Mass and an accompaniment of traditional drum at one of the Worships that attracted the then Bishop of Accra, the Most Rev. Joseph Bowers, SVD to ask the Superior of Brother Pius to get him transferred to Tema to reform the disbanded choir. He was transferred to Tema Community One, Our Lady of Mercy also to help Rev. Fr. Wels, SVD of blessed memory in Pastoral Duties and to form a new choir and take charge of the Music. That was the beginning of Rev. Bro. Pius’ Music career in Catholic Worship and therefore was very determined to build upon his music talents. He therefore registered for part-time classes at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.
FORMATION & TRAINING
In the year 1971, he was sent to Nigeria by the SVD Provincial Superior with two others, Rev. Bro. Jerome Agbeko and the late Rev. Bro. Paul Ayi to study at the Christ the Servant Formation Center in Ibadan, Nigeria to be trained as Formators.
It was there that he was able to convince All African Religious Congregations both international and local in the city of Ibadam to form an Indegenous West African Religious Union (IWARU). When he returned to Ghana, by the Grace of God, he was able to form a branch of the Union (IWARU) which is now called (ARUG) African Religious Union, Ghana. In the year 1973, he gained admission to the National Academy of Music (Winneba) where he specialised in Music in General and African Music in particular.
Rev. Bro. Pius Agyemang, SVD, organized seminars, workshops and formed many choirs. He worked with Rev. Fr. Charles Schneider, SVD, who taught him homiletics (how to write talks, homily and how to preach).
He formed the Youth Singers and Dramatists (CAYOSINDRA) commonly called (CAYO). Bro. Pius was very instrumental to the formation of the Greater Accra Catholic Church Choirs Association (GACCCA). In 1979, he went to Rome (Nemi) for a special SVD renewal course in Scripture, Theology, Liturgy and many other subjects. He was later transferred to Koforidua to assume duty as the Vocations Director for the SVD.
In the year 1985, Rev. Bro. Pius ended his assignment as the Vocations Director, and the late Bishop James Owusu of Sunyani approached his Superior to contract Bro. Pius to handle Music and Liturgy in Sunyani Diocese. He was released to the Bishop and he stayed at St. James Seminary where he also taught Music and Liturgy.
THE POPE’S VISIT TO GHANA
Rev. Bro. Pius made a lot of impact during the centenary celebration of the Catholic Church in Ghana in 1980. He composed two beautiful Masses for the celebration, one in English and the other in Akan.
Bishop Peter Akwasi Sarpong, the then Bishop of Kumasi specially invited him to prepare all choirs in Kumasi for the celebration. He took advantage to form Kumasi Sacred Choral Group and later decided to name his Singing groups Adehyemma Sacred Choral Group meaning “Royal Singing group of the Holy Trinity”. When Pope John Paul visited Kumasi in the course of the centenary celebration, Rev. Bro. Pius raised about 1,200 singers to perform at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.
The whole life of Rev. Bro. Pius had been Music and Liturgy. He founded a Music School where he trained many young musicians. Rev. Brother Pius SVD later requested for sabbatical leave where he took advantage to study in the Ireland Institute of Pastoral Liturgy. He read liturgy and Sacred Music.
Rev. Bro. Pius after a long period of prayers and fasting before the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord said to him to go from place to place, town to town, village to village and even possible country to country to teach them about the true meaning of Vatican II liturgy especially the deeper understanding of the Eucharist.
He was also told by the Lord “I have given you two other gifts to support your mission, namely the Gift of Music and Understanding of the African Culture in General and Ghanaian Culture in particular.” His three gifts in the heart of Vatican II Liturgy are: full participation of the faithful, music in the service of the liturgy and inculturation.
When he returned to Ghana, he proposed to his Superiors, the Formation of Pastoral Liturgy, Sacred Music and Culture Ministry. After some fruitful discussions, the Society officially agreed to the proposition of opening the SVD Pastoral Liturgy, Sacred Music and Culture Ministry (PALIMUS) with two separate Departments:
1. LITURGY AND CULTURE
2. MUSIC
Brother Pius has travelled almost to every part of Ghana and Nigeria with his plans, teaching and organizing retreats, seminars and workshops for Priests, religious and the Laity.
He went to Parishes to renew their Liturgy especially the Eucharist by offering them Vatican II Eucharistic Liturgical Reform and Renewal. All ministries of the Liturgy were renewed through Teaching, Meaning,
History and Application as it is said in the Scriptures, “Lack of Knowledge my people perished”
Rev. Bro. Francis Pius Kwaku Agyemang SVD left to credit and which he will be remembered with:
1. Production of Two Liturgical Books
1. UNDERSTANDING THE ORDER OF MASS
2 POWER OF THE EUCHARIST (understanding the Catholic Worship
3 Holy Week Hand Book (Work in Progress)
2. Television Programme: Adikanfo Aye Bi Programme
3. Music: 22 Liturgy Masses and Psalms (Both Akan and English)
About 1000 composition of songs both in Akan and English
