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Ghanaian-born Divine Word Missionary Appointed Auxiliary Bishop for Guayaquil Catholic Archdiocese in Ecuador

Jude Atemanke

By Jude Atemanke

Accra, 11 November, 2025 / 8:51 pm (ACI Africa).

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Mons. John Kwamevi Cudjoe, a Ghanaian member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), as Auxiliary Bishop for Guayaquil Catholic Archdiocese in Ecuador and assigned the titular see of Calama.

The appointment of Mons. Kwamevi, who has been serving as Parish Priest of Mary Mother of the Church Huaquillas Parish of the Catholic Diocese of Machala, was published by the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday, November 11.

In a statement announcing the appointment of Mons. Kwamevi, members of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference (CEE) express gratitude “to God and the Holy Father for this appointment,” and invite the faithful “to unite in prayer,” so that “the Holy Spirit may grant him abundant gifts in his episcopal ministry.”

They note that the Bishop-elect “has carried out outstanding work in the field of education and in service to his Congregation,” adding that his experience also extends to university teaching and pastoral care of vulnerable communities.

“We pray for him, that God may accompany him and guide him with wisdom and strength in this new pastoral mission that the Church has entrusted to him, and that his work may always be a reflection of the love and light of Christ,” CEE members add.

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Born in December 1975 in Ghana’s Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, Mons. Kwamevi was ordained a Priest in July 2005.

As a Priest, Mons. Kwamevi has served in various capacities, including Curate, professor of Fundamental Theology, Missiology, and Mariology at the Francisco Xavier de Garaycoa Major Seminary in Guayaquil, and Spiritual Director for Seminarians.

He also served as Vice-Provincial Superior of SVD Missionaries in Ecuador (2011–2016), member of the Permanent Formation Team, Secretary of Missions, and Provincial Superior (2017–2023). 

In a message issued following the appointment, the Local Ordinary of Guayaquil Catholic Archdiocese welcomes the new Auxiliary Bishop and reflects on the Gospel of the day (Lk 17:7–10), reminding everyone that Christian service should be lived “with promptness, generosity and humility.”

“The disciple of Jesus does not postpone the good he can do today. He does not wait for ideal conditions to serve. Promptness is the sign of a willing heart, which responds to God’s call without calculation or excuses,” Gerardo Cardinal Cabrera Herrera says.

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Cardinal Cabrera notes that “the servant of the Gospel does not hold back or complain, he knows that Christian service is not out of obligation, but out of love,” adding that “serving with promptness, generosity and humility is the path to true inner freedom.”

On behalf of the entire Archdiocese, Cardinal Cabrera extends “a warm and fraternal welcome” to Mons. Kwamevi, assuring that his arrival “is a true gift from God, full of gratitude, joy, and hope.”

“We thank Pope Leo XIV, who, with the broad vision of the universal Pastor, has entrusted Monsignor John with the mission of serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Guayaquil. His decision is a sign of communion and pastoral care for our local Church,” he says.

Mons. Kwamevi’s Episcopal Ordination is scheduled for December 20, at 10:00 am (local time), in the San Pedro Cathedral of Guayaquil.

Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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