Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordji, SVD, Bishop of Keta-Akatsi Diocese has launched the 25th Anniversary of the Diocese last Monday with a call on Parishes to embark on spiritual and social activities to mark the one-year celebration which would be climaxed next year November.
The year-long celebrations which officially started with the launching is on the theme: Promoting the Kingdom of God Through Word and Sacrament.
The Bishop appealed to the faithful to fervently pray for God’s supplication as well as the renewal of the missionary zeal by extending their spirituality to other people.
Performing the Silver Jubilee launch at the St. Michael Co-cathedral at Keta on June 10, 2019, Bishop Kumordji noted the social activities of the celebration would include awareness on the need to practice and maintain environmental cleanliness; visit to the sick and health related programmes like blood donation exercises.
He stated that the Anniversary would also focus on a Diocesan pilgrimage to the Sacred Heart Shrine at Dzodze-Tornu in the Volta Region. Another important spiritual activity, he noted would be the Episcopal Silver Jubilee of Most Rev. Anthony Adanuty as the first Bishop of the Diocese and the celebration of his 80th birthday in May next year.
As part of the Anniversary climax, the Diocese would host the 2020 Plenary Assembly of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Kumordji added. He used the occasion to appeal to all Catholics from the Diocese including those domiciled outside the Diocese, in all Outstations and Parish communities, Church Societies and Pious Associations, Apostolates and Ministries to be fully involved in the celebration
The launching was chaired by Togbi James Ocloo V, Chief of Keta, who stood in for the Awoemafia of the Anlo Traditional Area Togbi Sri III.
Present at the launching were Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, Archbishop of Accra; Anthony Adanuty, Emeritus Bishop of Keta-Akatsi; and Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, Bishop of Ho as well as scores of Priests, Religious and lay faithful of the Diocese in the Cities and diaspora and Traditional Leaders.
The creation of Keta-Akatsi Diocese was formally announced by the then Papal Nuncio to Ghana, His Excellency Most Rev. Andre Dupuy at a Press Conference in Accra on Friday March 17, 1995 under the chairmanship of the Most Rev. Francis Anani Kofi Lodonu, then Bishop of Keta-Ho Diocese and President of the Ghana Bishops’ Conference.
The announcement also carried the news of the creation of four other new Dioceses: the Diocese of Jasikan (Co-created with Keta-Akatsi on 19th December, 1994), Damongo (3rd February 1995), Konongo-Manpong and Obuasi (co-created on 3rd March 1995). Rev. Msgr. Anthony Kwame Adanuty, Desk Officer at the Holy See’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome was appointed the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Keta-Akatsi.
Together with the Dioceses of Ho, Jasikan and Koforidua and Donkorkrom Vicariate, the Keta-Akatsi Diocese is a Suffragan See of the Ecclesiastical Province of Accra, with the Archdiocese of Accra as the Metropolitan See.
A Mass preceding the launching was presided over by Bishop Adanuty who gave thanks to God for how far He has brought the diocese. He urged the faithful to continue to have faith in the Lord and pray for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church for the integral development of the Diocese.