News Release!!

Ghanaian Catholic Community of Chicago Welcomes Archbishop Mathias Kobina Nketsiah, Archbishop of Cape Coast Archdiocese, to Chicago

His Grace, The Very Reverend Dr., Archbishop Mathias Nketsiah, arrived on Thursday, May 26, 2011 on an official visit to the Chicago Archdiocese. The purpose of his visit was to visit his priest on his welfare, how the Ghanaian Catholic Community is faring and to hold a closed door meeting with His Eminence Francis Cardinal Eugene George. His Continental flight from Houston touched down at 6.12 p.m. He was met on arrival at the O’Hare Airport by the resident priest of the Ghanaian Catholic Community, The Rev. Father Alex Anaman, the Cathecist, Daniel Acquah, Vice-President of the Community, Dr. Mark Kutame, the Treasurer, Comfort Afrifa, and Rev. Fr. Michael Ocran, visiting priest from Detroit. He arrived to a very unusually cold day in Chicago when the temperature was about 40 degrees. He was driven by the priests and the catechist to the residence of Cardinal Francis George who hosted him during this visit. His arrival in Chicago followed similar visits to other cities including Seattle, WA., New Orleans, LA., Victoria,TX., Albany, NY., and New York City, to meet the bishops and the Ghanaian priests in those dioceses.

On Friday morning, May 27, a welcome party comprising, Rev. Fr. Alex Anaman, Rev. Fr. Michael Ocran, Francis Acquah, Catechist, Mark Kutame, Vice-President, Comfort Afrifa, Treasurer, Kwesi Amponsah, Planning Committee chairman, paid him an official visit to welcome him following traditional Ghanaian hospitality. During the visit, the Archbishop shared his views on topics covering a wide range of subjects including politics in Ghana, social issues and concerns, life in the diaspora, the role of priests and the Church in Ghana and the diaspora, and religion in Ghana. The visit lasted approximately an hour.

Later on that Friday afternoon, the archbishop administered the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony to two couples in the community: Mr. Francis Kofi Sarfo(Choir Director)and Linda Donkor his wife and Mr. Paul Mensah Sogbe and Mary Adutwumwaa. Prior to the wedding ceremony, the Archbiship accepted Linda into the Catholic faith and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation on her (Linda), Paul and Mary. The service was well attended with the choir supporting their choirmaster with beautiful musical renditions mostly sang in the Akan language. Following the ceremony, witnesses to the marriage ceremony moved to a reception at Paul Mensah Sogbe’s residence. Food, drinks, and music “flowed”, and all attendees left with very satisfied bellies.

On Saturday morning, the Archbishop, himself a Fante, held an hour long meeting with members of the Fante Benevolent Society, an affiliate of the Ghana National Council. Later that afternoon, His Grace proceeded to Bolingbrook, a suburb of Chicago as guest of Nana Yaw Asamoah, a devoted and prominent member of the Catholic Community for a dinner meeting with invited members of the community. The Archbishop equally had a busy schedule on Sunday with a morning celebration of the Holy Eucharist at the Queen of Apostles Church in Riverdale, Illinois which is the home parish of the resident priest Fr. Anaman. Following the Mass, the Archbishop was whisked to an open forum at the Parish Hall of the St. Elizabeth Church in Chicago where members of the Ghanaian Catholic Community, resplendent in their beautiful Ghanaian costumes, shared views and asked questions and interacted with the Archbishop. Supporting him at the high table were the Rev. Fr. Alex Anaman, Resident Priest, Mr. John Oteng-Mensah, The President of the Ghanaian Catholic Community, Daniel Acquah, the Catechist and Dr. Mark Kutame, The Vice-President. In remarks made to the congregation, the Archbishop stated the purpose of his visit to include inviting the Western Church to invest in projects in our dioceses in Ghana, particularly in Salt Industry in his archdiocese which would be of benefit to the local Church in Ghana.

He was categorical in stating that the time for holding a bowl in hand and begging for support of the mission Churches in Ghana, Africa and elsewhere was over and it was necessary for the Churches to be self sufficient. He added that he wanted to visit with the Ghanaian priests in the diaspora to find out the problems and challenges these priests face and to get the bishops of the dioceses in the US to give back to Ghanaian Church the contributions of the Ghanaian priests serving their congregations. Following his introductory remarks, there was a call for him to consider getting the Ghana Bishops Conference to appoint a diasporan representative on the Conference who would coordinate and promote the interests of Ghanaian priests and Ghanaian Catholic Communities (Churches) abroad. Concerns were also raised about the migration of Ghanaian priests to the US for studies and their lack of willingness to return to Ghana to support build the Church at home.

The Archbishop acknowledged the problem and mentioned that it is of great concern to the bishops at home, and requested that we should advice them to go back home. A member of the Community suggested that if Ghana is to attract the return of its priests following studies abroad, more must be done to see to their welfare at home and support in terms of placing them where they can utilize their skills more effectively must be considered. In response, the Archbishop said every bishop has the welfare of his priests at heart, however, sometimes there is the need for some sort of sacrifice also from the priests. Another key topic of interest to the congregation brought up by His Grace was the idea of official recognition of the Ghanaian Catholic Community and greater canonical representation in the Archdiocese of Chicago. The open forum was followed by a well attended concelebrated Mass with Archbishop Nketsiah, Bishop Joseph Perry (one of the Auxiliary bishops of Chicago), Rev. Frs. Alex Anaman and Rick Andrus (Pastor of St. Elizabeth) officiating. In appreciation of Bishop Perry’s support for the community, as the one in charge of the vicariate, a stole and chasuble was presented to him as a gift from the community. Archbishop Nketsiah was also presented an envelope with a check in it. Among the large congregation at the Mass was the President of the Ghana National Council of Chicago, Mr. John Henry Assabill who later presented two videotapes of the 2009 and 2010 “Ghanafest” to Archbishop Nketsiah. The Archbishop later honored a lunch meeting as a guest of Bishop Perry.

The Archbishop’s schedule on Monday May 30th included a tour of the city of Chicago followed by a meeting with Audrey Peters and Jean Anne Finan (old friends he had not seen for 36 years from Indiana). His visit was climaxed with a meeting with His Eminence Francis Cardinal George of Chicago on Tuesday, May 31st. The Archbishop departed Chicago on Wednesday, June 1st.

Prepared by: Dr. Mark Kutame-Vice President, Ghanaian Catholic Community of Chicago.