THE Catholic Bishop of Sunyani Diocese, Most Rev Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, has been elected as the new President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) with Most Rev Emmanuel Kofi Fianu (SVD), Catholic Bishop of Ho as Vice President.
The two were elected at the ongoing Annual Plenary Assembly of the GCBC in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom.
They take over from Archbishops Philip Naameh of Tamale and Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle of Cape Coast.
Born on August 11, 1957 at Wamanafo in the Dormaa District, Most Rev Gyamfi had his basic education in the area and later studied at St Hubert Seminary in Kumasi and subsequently St. Peter’s Regional Major Seminary at Cape Coast where he successfully completed courses in Philosophy and Theology.
After his ordination on July 27, 1985, Most Rev Gyamfi served in various capacities such as the Assistant Administrator of the Christ The King Cathedral in Sunyani; chaplain of the St Joseph’s Training College at Bechem and at the same time taught religious studies at the school.
Between 1990 and 1991, he worked as acting Parish Priest of St Peter’s Parish at Kenyasi in the Asutifi District. He also served as the Vice-Rector and full-time tutor at St James Minor Seminary at Abesim, near Sunyani from 1991 to 1993.
He holds a doctorate degree in Geography and a Master’s degree in Education.
The late Pope John Paul II ele ted him as Bishop of Sunyani on April 14, 2003 and on June 28, 2003, he was ordained as the Second Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese.
Most Rev Fianu SVD.
On his part, Most Rev Fianu, who was born on June 14, 21957, entered St Victor’s Major Seminary in Tamale in 1976 for his philosophical and theological formation until 1979 when he entered the SVD Novitiate at Nkwatia Kwahu.
He was ordained a priest on July 14, 1985, at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Accra, by the late Most Rev. Dominic Andoh.
Between 1994 and 1996, he was the Admonitor of the SVD District in Lome, professor of Biblical Studies at St Jean Paul II Seminaire and at the Institut St Paul in Lome, and Secretary of the Commission for the liturgical publications Ghana-Togo.
He served as the Rector of the College of the Divine Word in Rome from 2000-2004 as well as serving as Secretary of the General Council of his congregation from 2006.
Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD was ordained the second Bishop of the Diocese of Ho by His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson.
Until his appointment as Bishop, then Rev. Fr Fianu was the Secretary-General of the Council of the Divine Word Fathers (SVD) in Rome.
Credit: Vatican News Africa.