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Newly Ordained Catholic Bishop in Ghana Told to Extend Kindness to All

Bishop John Opoku-Agyemang, the newly Consecrated Bishop of Ghana’s Konongo-Mampong Diocese. Credit: Catholic Trends

By ACI Africa

Accra, 10 June, 2024 / 8:40 pm (ACI Africa).

The president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) has encouraged Bishop John Opoku-Agyemang, the newly Consecrated Bishop of Ghana’s Konongo-Mampong Diocese to extend his kindness and compassion to all during his Episcopal ministry.

In his homily during the Consecration event on June 7, Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi reminded the new Bishop that he had the responsibility to look after the lay faithful who would be looking up to their Bishop.

“Let your kindness and compassion extend to all the lay faithful who in good days and bad days have been loyal to Christ and his church,” Bishop Kwasi said during the event that was held at the campus of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) in Ghana.

He added, “The lay faithful will look at you. They will look to your continued encouragement, direction, correction and forgiveness. In many respects, your relationship with the faithful will be similar to the experiences Moses had with the Israelites in the desert on their common journey to the promised land.”

The Local Ordinary of Ghana’s Catholic Diocese of Sunyani urged the people of God to love their Bishop “with the love the Christians had for St. Paul.” 

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“My dear faithful, you need your Bishop, and the Bishop appreciates very much your loyalty and devotion. Indeed, all the different activities of the bishop must in some manner involve you with him and the priests. You form the diocese and so together are responsible that the work of Christ is accomplished,” Bishop Kwasi said.

To the priests, the Ghanaian Catholic Bishop said, “Your Bishop depends on you and on your faithful collaboration to run the diocese.”

“He has invested his unflinching trust in you. Keep that trust undefiled. Pray for him, not only during mass, but also at every other opportunity you may have to pray, and you know you have limitless opportunities to pray,” the GCBC President said.

He urged the new Bishop to never get tired of being merciful. “Please, you have the capacity of forgiveness that the Lord had, who did not condemn, but to forgive, have much mercy. You will need an inexhaustible store of forgiveness,” he said.

“May the kindness, forgiveness, and compassion of the Sacred Heart guide your ministry as Bishop. Open your heart to the power and anointing of the spirit. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God and allow God, who has begun this good work in you, to bring it to fulfillment,” Bishop Kwasi said.

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Until his appointment as Bishop for Konongo-Mampong Diocese on March 21, Bishop Agyemang had been serving as Rector of the St. Gregory the Great Provincial Major Seminary, Parkoso in Ghana’s Kumasi Archdiocese.

Bishop Agyemang was born in August 1957. He was ordained a Priest for Konongo-Mampong in January 1984.

In his maiden speech as Bishop, Bishop Agyemang expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support he received and vowed to continue the mission of the church in serving the spiritual and social needs of the community.

“The faith and unity demonstrated here today are truly inspiring. I am deeply humbled and committed to leading our diocese with compassion and dedication,” he said.

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