The Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev John Bonaventure Kwofie, has appointed one of his priests, Rev Fr John Patrick Tindana, as the Archdiocesan Coordinator of the synodal journey leading to the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to be held in Rome in October 2023.
This appointment was communicated to all priests and religious in the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra through an email sent from the Office of the Archbishop on Wednesday, 25 August 2021. Part of the message read that the Archdiocesan Coordinator “will be working with a team with representatives from each Deanery”.
The theme for the 2023 Synod of Bishops is: “For a Synodal Church: communion, participation, and mission.” A document issued by the General Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops states that “The Synod of Bishops is the dynamic point of convergence that calls for mutual listening to the Holy Spirit at every level of the Church’s life.”
The document further states, “It is not just an event, but also a process that involves in synergy the People of God, the College of Bishops and the Bishop of Rome, each according to their proper function.”
The entire synodal journey will begin with a solemn opening and consist of three phases: the diocesan, continental, and universal. The official opening with the Holy Father will be in the Vatican on 9-10 October 2021. This will be followed by the official opening in each local church on Sunday, 17 October 2021.
Rev Fr Tindana expressed his gratitude to the Archbishop for entrusting him with this huge and important responsibility. He appealed to all the People of God – Clergy and Laity – in the Archdiocese of Accra and other dioceses to collaborate with their respective Coordinators to ensure that this singular opportunity to express their views does not go waste.
Currently, Fr Tindana is the Director of the Pastoral Centre and Mission Office of the Archdiocese of Accra, and an Official of the Inter-Diocesan Tribunal of the Accra Ecclesiastical Province.
