FIANU IS NEW BISHOP OF HO DIOCESE
By Damian Avevor and Rev. Sr. Rejoice Sedegah
Most Rev. Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, on October 3, took canonical possession of the Ho Diocese as its second Bishop, promising to discharge his duties faithfully.
At his Episcopal Ordination and installation at an open-air Mass at the Jubilee Park at Ho in the Volta Region, he asked for prayers from all to accomplish the ministry entrusted to him.
He expressed gratitude to the Holy Father Pope Francis for the confidence reposed in him.
The new Bishop pledged to co-operate and collaborate with the Clergy, Religious and lay faithful to achieve further growth in the Church
His Episcopal Motto is Mane Nobiscum, meaning remain with us or Abide in Us.
The Principal Consecrator at the Episcopal Ordination was Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican with Archbishop Speich and Bishop Lodonu as Co-consecrators, who also assisted the Cardinal to install Bishop Fianu on his Throne or Cathedra.
Rev. Msgr. Anthony Kornu, the Administrator of the Diocese showed the Papal Bull to the ordaining Prelates, other Bishops and all the faithful after which Rev. Msgr. Hilary Senoo, a Senior Priest of the Diocese, read the Papal Bull appointing Bishop Fianu to the high office of a Bishop, signed and sealed by Pope Francis in Latin, English and Ewe.
Cardinal Turkson and the two Co-consecrators in turn laid their hands on the candidate in silence, while other Bishops did the same.
The Book of the Gospels was presented to the new Bishop followed by the anointing of his head. This was followed by the investiture with a Ring, Mitre and Pastoral Staff (Crosier), as symbols of his office.
Bishop Fianu was appointed by Pope Francis on July 14, 2015, exactly a month after his 58th birthday, to succeed Most Rev.
Francis A.K Lodonu, who has reached the canonical retiring age for Bishops.
In a homily at the Mass, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle urged him to shepherd the faithful with the love of Jesus Christ and lead all God’s children to salvation.
He urged the Priests, Religious and lay faithful to walk with their new Bishop in the company of the Risen Christ, asking them to share with him their hopes and anxieties.
Archbishop Speich conveyed the Holy Father’s good wishes to Bishop Fianu, saying that he had come to Ho as an ambassador of peace and assured him of his support.
He expressed gratitude to Bishop Lodonu for his many years of service as well as Msgr. Anthony Kornu, former Vicar General and Administrator of the Diocese for his efforts, asking him to continue to support the new Bishop in his ministry.
Bishop Osei-Bonsu, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference also thanked Bishop Lodonu for his many years of dedicated service and congratulated Bishop Fianu.
He said that with Bishop Fianu’s knowledge and expertise in the area of Biblical Studies, he would make an invaluable contribution to the Conference and bring new insights to its work and discussions, assuring him of the Conference’s support.
Mr. John Kofi Osei, Deputy Chief of Staff, who represented President John Mahama, commended the Catholic Church for its continuous collaboration and her contribution to national development.
Mrs. Helen Ntoso, Volta Regional Minister, praised the unique leadership of Bishop Lodonu, describing him as a peace broker, who mediated conflicts and social issues in the Region.
The impressive ceremony was transmitted live on giant screens at the Jubilee Park.
After the enthronement, the Cardinal congratulated the new Bishop followed by the Nuncio, Bishop Lodonu, other Archbishops and
Bishops present, while the Regional Minister and her delegation as well as the Traditional leaders took their turn.
They were followed by the Clergy, Religious, heads of Christian Churches and five selected family members of Bishop Fianu as well as the invited Guests.
Various donations were made by the Government, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and other groups and Societies.
All the Bishops of Ghana except one, took part in the consecration Mass.
Also concelebrating the Mass were Bishops Nubuasah and Agbenyadzi, Most Rev. Andrew Karnley, Bishop of Cape Palmas, Liberia; Most Rev. Antonio Jaca, SVD, Bishop of Caxito, Angola and Most Rev. Zeferino Zeca Martins, SVD, Auxiliary Bishop of Luanda, Angola.
Over 600 Priests including Very Rev. Frs. Robert Kisala, Vice Superior General of the SVD in Rome; Antonio Pernia, former Superior General of the SVD, from the Philippines; Peter Accorley, Provincial Superior of the SVD in Togo; George Angmor, Provincial Superior of the SVD in Ghana and Nicholas Afriyie, Secretary -General of the National Catholic Secretariat attended the Mass.
Also present were over 200 Religious from various Congregations and Seminarians as well as Societies in the Church including the National Council of Catholic Women, Knights of St. John International and their Ladies Auxiliary; Knights and Ladies of Marshall.
Over 7,000 faithful from all over Ghana, including Papal Knights and Dames led by Sir Owusu Akyaw Prempeh were also present.
Dignitaries at the colourful and impressive ceremony included Rt. Hon. Edward doe Adjaho, Speaker of Parliament; Mr. Alex Segbefia, Minister of Health; Sir James K. Bebaako- Mensah, Ghana’s Ambassador to the Holy See; Mr. Ben Kpodo, Member of Parliament for Ho Central and Prof Edmund Delle, Chairman of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP).
Present were heads of other Churches and Traditional Leaders including Togbe Afede XIV, Paramount Chief of the Asogli State and President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs; Mamaga Akua Dei, Paramount Queen Mother of Asogli and Togbe Dagadu VIII, Paramount Chief of Akpini Traditional Area; Rt. Rev. Matthias Bodhu, Anglican Bishop of Ho and Rev. Godwin Osiakwa of the E.P. Church, Ho.
Until his appointment, Bishop Fianu was the Secretary General of the Council of the Divine Word Missionaries in Rome.
He was born on June 14, 1957 at Tegbi, near Keta in the Diocese of Keta-Akatsi and was ordained a Priest on July 14, 1985 at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra by the late Archbishop Dominic Andoh.
Bishop Fianu speaks Ewe, Dangme, English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. He reads Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Latin, Twi and a little Bahasa Indonesia.
With his Ordination, Bishop Fianu becomes the fourth Ghanaian Divine Word Missionary (SVD) Priest to be ordained a Bishop.
The first is Most Rev. Franklyn Nubuasah, SVD, Bishop of Francistown, Botswana in 1998; followed by Most Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, SVD, Bishop of Yendi in 1999 and Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordji, SVD, Bishop of Donkokrom Vicariate in the Afram Plains in 2010.
Most Rev. Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, on October 3, took canonical possession of the Ho Diocese as its second Bishop, promising to discharge his duties faithfully.
At his Episcopal Ordination and installation at an open-air Mass at the Jubilee Park at Ho in the Volta Region, he asked for prayers from all to accomplish the ministry entrusted to him.
He expressed gratitude to the Holy Father Pope Francis for the confidence reposed in him.
The new Bishop pledged to co-operate and collaborate with the Clergy, Religious and lay faithful to achieve further growth in the Church
His Episcopal Motto is Mane Nobiscum, meaning remain with us or Abide in Us.
The Principal Consecrator at the Episcopal Ordination was Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican with Archbishop Speich and Bishop Lodonu as Co-consecrators, who also assisted the Cardinal to install Bishop Fianu on his Throne or Cathedra.
Rev. Msgr. Anthony Kornu, the Administrator of the Diocese showed the Papal Bull to the ordaining Prelates, other Bishops and all the faithful after which Rev. Msgr. Hilary Senoo, a Senior Priest of the Diocese, read the Papal Bull appointing Bishop Fianu to the high office of a Bishop, signed and sealed by Pope Francis in Latin, English and Ewe.
Cardinal Turkson and the two Co-consecrators in turn laid their hands on the candidate in silence, while other Bishops did the same.
The Book of the Gospels was presented to the new Bishop followed by the anointing of his head. This was followed by the investiture with a Ring, Mitre and Pastoral Staff (Crosier), as symbols of his office.
Bishop Fianu was appointed by Pope Francis on July 14, 2015, exactly a month after his 58th birthday, to succeed Most Rev.
Francis A.K Lodonu, who has reached the canonical retiring age for Bishops.
In a homily at the Mass, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle urged him to shepherd the faithful with the love of Jesus Christ and lead all God’s children to salvation.
He urged the Priests, Religious and lay faithful to walk with their new Bishop in the company of the Risen Christ, asking them to share with him their hopes and anxieties.
Archbishop Speich conveyed the Holy Father’s good wishes to Bishop Fianu, saying that he had come to Ho as an ambassador of peace and assured him of his support.
He expressed gratitude to Bishop Lodonu for his many years of service as well as Msgr. Anthony Kornu, former Vicar General and Administrator of the Diocese for his efforts, asking him to continue to support the new Bishop in his ministry.
Bishop Osei-Bonsu, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference also thanked Bishop Lodonu for his many years of dedicated service and congratulated Bishop Fianu.
He said that with Bishop Fianu’s knowledge and expertise in the area of Biblical Studies, he would make an invaluable contribution to the Conference and bring new insights to its work and discussions, assuring him of the Conference’s support.
Mr. John Kofi Osei, Deputy Chief of Staff, who represented President John Mahama, commended the Catholic Church for its continuous collaboration and her contribution to national development.
Mrs. Helen Ntoso, Volta Regional Minister, praised the unique leadership of Bishop Lodonu, describing him as a peace broker, who mediated conflicts and social issues in the Region.
The impressive ceremony was transmitted live on giant screens at the Jubilee Park.
After the enthronement, the Cardinal congratulated the new Bishop followed by the Nuncio, Bishop Lodonu, other Archbishops and
Bishops present, while the Regional Minister and her delegation as well as the Traditional leaders took their turn.
They were followed by the Clergy, Religious, heads of Christian Churches and five selected family members of Bishop Fianu as well as the invited Guests.
Various donations were made by the Government, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and other groups and Societies.
All the Bishops of Ghana except one, took part in the consecration Mass.
Also concelebrating the Mass were Bishops Nubuasah and Agbenyadzi, Most Rev. Andrew Karnley, Bishop of Cape Palmas, Liberia; Most Rev. Antonio Jaca, SVD, Bishop of Caxito, Angola and Most Rev. Zeferino Zeca Martins, SVD, Auxiliary Bishop of Luanda, Angola.
Over 600 Priests including Very Rev. Frs. Robert Kisala, Vice Superior General of the SVD in Rome; Antonio Pernia, former Superior General of the SVD, from the Philippines; Peter Accorley, Provincial Superior of the SVD in Togo; George Angmor, Provincial Superior of the SVD in Ghana and Nicholas Afriyie, Secretary -General of the National Catholic Secretariat attended the Mass.
Also present were over 200 Religious from various Congregations and Seminarians as well as Societies in the Church including the National Council of Catholic Women, Knights of St. John International and their Ladies Auxiliary; Knights and Ladies of Marshall.
Over 7,000 faithful from all over Ghana, including Papal Knights and Dames led by Sir Owusu Akyaw Prempeh were also present.
Dignitaries at the colourful and impressive ceremony included Rt. Hon. Edward doe Adjaho, Speaker of Parliament; Mr. Alex Segbefia, Minister of Health; Sir James K. Bebaako- Mensah, Ghana’s Ambassador to the Holy See; Mr. Ben Kpodo, Member of Parliament for Ho Central and Prof Edmund Delle, Chairman of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP).
Present were heads of other Churches and Traditional Leaders including Togbe Afede XIV, Paramount Chief of the Asogli State and President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs; Mamaga Akua Dei, Paramount Queen Mother of Asogli and Togbe Dagadu VIII, Paramount Chief of Akpini Traditional Area; Rt. Rev. Matthias Bodhu, Anglican Bishop of Ho and Rev. Godwin Osiakwa of the E.P. Church, Ho.
Until his appointment, Bishop Fianu was the Secretary General of the Council of the Divine Word Missionaries in Rome.
He was born on June 14, 1957 at Tegbi, near Keta in the Diocese of Keta-Akatsi and was ordained a Priest on July 14, 1985 at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra by the late Archbishop Dominic Andoh.
Bishop Fianu speaks Ewe, Dangme, English, French, Italian, German and Spanish. He reads Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Latin, Twi and a little Bahasa Indonesia.
With his Ordination, Bishop Fianu becomes the fourth Ghanaian Divine Word Missionary (SVD) Priest to be ordained a Bishop.
The first is Most Rev. Franklyn Nubuasah, SVD, Bishop of Francistown, Botswana in 1998; followed by Most Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, SVD, Bishop of Yendi in 1999 and Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordji, SVD, Bishop of Donkokrom Vicariate in the Afram Plains in 2010.