History was made in the Catholic Diocese of Wiawso in the Western North Region of Ghana when on when Friday, April 21, 2023, her second Bishop, the Most Rev. Samuel Nkuah-Boateng was ordained and installed at the St. Joseph Senior High School at Sefwi Datano, pledging loyalty to His Holiness Pope Francis.
Attended by hundreds of Catholics and non-Catholics, the new Bishop thanked the Holy Father for reposing trust in him by appointing him to the high office of episcopate.
He promised to co-operate and collaborate with the Clergy, Religious and lay faithful in the Diocese to achieve the continuous growth in the Church, show compassion to his flock and to look out for the strayed sheep.
He thanked those who supported him in prayers and counselled him, adding that in spite of his limitations and inadequacies, he would together with his Priests, Religious and faithful shepherd the Diocese with one purpose.
Bishop Nkuah-Boateng was consecrated and installed by Most Rev. Henryk M. Jagodzinski, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana assisted by Most Rev. Joseph Francis Kweku Essien, Bishop Emeritus of Wiawso, who was the first Bishop and the Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast who was the homilist.
The ceremony was witnessed by a large crowd including members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference led by its President, the Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani, Priests and Religious; Political and Traditional Leaders including President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the lay faithful from far and near.
As part of the ordination rites, Bishop Nkuah-Boateng resolved to be faithful and constant in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ and to maintain the deposit of faith, entire and incorrupt, as handed down by the Apostles and professed by the Church everywhere and at all times.
He also resolved to show kindness and compassion in the name of the Lord to the poor and to strangers and to all who are in need and as a good shepherd to seek out the sheep who stray and to gather them into the fold of the Lord.
He promised to pray for the People of God without ceasing, and to carry out the duties of one who has the fullness of the priesthood so as to afford no grounds for reproach.
There were congratulatory messages from the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) and Traditional Leaders.
The Nuncio congratulated Bishop Essien for his long service in the episcopate and pledged his unflinching support to Bishop Essien.
Bishop Gyamfi on behalf of the Catholic Bishops in Ghana also thanked Bishop Essien for a work well done as the pioneer Bishop of Wiawso for 23 years.
He congratulated Bishop Nkuah-Boateng, saying that the Conference was glad to welcome him to its fold and asked him to enjoy their shared joy and responsibilities. Commending him for serving the Church and the people of Wiawso faithfully as a Priest.
He said the rich experience Bishop Nkuah-Boateng had garnered would still be valuable to the people of God of Wiawso as Chief Shepherd and also to the Bishops’ Conference.
He said the GCBC was confident that he would make an invaluable contribution to the continuous growth of the Diocese and bring new insights to its work and its discussions, assuring him of the Conference’s support as he begins the learning process of a Bishop.
Bishop Gyamfi appealed to the Priests, Religious and the lay faithful to assist and support their new Bishop, urging them to see themselves as all members of one family of God.
On behalf of the GCBC, Bishop Gyamfi presented a token envelope to support the work of the new Bishop.
Story by Newswatchgh.com, Wiawso
