HISTORY OF THE HO DIOCESE
The History of the Ho Diocese is a very interesting one and at the same time complex. Part of this territory called Ho Diocese was evangelized from Keta in 1890 by the Members of the Society of African Missions and the main part was evangelized from 1892 by the Members of the Divine Word Missionaries from Lome, Togo.
The main part of the Ho Diocese was part of Togoland which was colonized by the Germans from the latter part of the 19th Century up to the end of the World War I i.e. 1918.
Our records tell us:
“That part of Togoland which later became British Togoland was evangelized from Palime in 1900.)
The main points of entry by the German SVD fathers were: Kpando in 1900, Hohoe, Liati and Fodome in 1902. This means that communities of Catechumens who began to attend Church were found in these communities from 1900 and 1902.
The most significant dates were the fact that in 1904, a priest, Rev. Fr. Anthony Witte SVD began to reside in Kpando.
The Rev. Fr. Herring, SVD began to reside in Hohoe (Gbi Bla) in 1906.
In 1907, Rev. Fr. Kockers, SVD and Rev. Fr. Eichman, SVD began to make Ho a semi-resident station.
In 1908 already, a Training College known as St. Augustine College was opened at Hohoe (Gbi Bla) on the same spot where St. Francis Training College is today. This College was meant to train teachers, catechists and future priests. In fact the first priest of Ghana, Rev. Fr. Anastasius Odai Dogli who was ordained on the 2nd of July 1922 studied in this St. Augustine’s College in Hohoe.
This College had to close down in 1917 when the British authorities deported all the German Missionaries from Togo.
It was reopened in 1931 but had to be closed down again in 1934 for lack of teachers. It permanently opened in 1947 with the new name of St. Francis Teacher Training College, Hohoe. Today it is one of the Diploma Awarding Training Colleges in the Country.
Our records given in the booklet – Golden Jubilee – Keta Diocese 1923 – 1973, tell us:
“Speaking afterwards about the removal of the German Missionaries, Governor Guggisberg said that this event, though necessary for the conduct of the war, was the greatest blow which education in this country has ever suffered”.
From 1917 up to 1921, Bishop Hummel of Cape Coast was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of the Togoland Mission Stations, but he had no priests to spare.
At this short period, the laity took over the running of the mission stations as the German SVD fathers taught them before leaving suddenly.
These were the Teacher-Catechists who were very close to the priests in their pioneering missionary works. Some of these were Mr. Emmanuel Lodonu of Gbi Atabu, Mr. Eusebius Klay of Kpando, Francis Sika of Gbi Bla and Mr. Paul Kofi Vudu of Denu. These famous peoples’ names remain in the annals of the Catholic Church in the Volta Region forever. These Teacher-Catechists in the absence of priests in the whole Mission Territory led the faithful in prayer, baptized children, the sick and the dying. They witnessed marriages, taught Catehism as volunteer itinerant Catechists and buried the dead Catholics.
In 1921, members of the Society of the African Missions, the SMA fathers began to arrive in the territory.
In the same year, Very Rev. Father Chabert, the Superior General of the SMA fathers visited the territory which was then called the Keta Mission. He was very impressed that the faith was alive and so returned to Rome to plead for the erection of an independent Mission on the Eastern shore of the Volta River.
On the 2nd of July 1922, a historic event took place in the Gold Coast at Cape Coast involving the Son of this Mission Territory. The Very Rev. Fr. Anastasius Odai Dogli of Baglo, Buem was ordained a Catholic priest in Cape Coast. Although he was a native of Baglo now in the Jasikan Diocese, he was at that time known as coming from the Gbi Bla Mission (Hohoe). He was a married teacher who attended the St. Augustine’s College at Gbi Bla in 1908. When the wife died, he decided to become a priest. Our records tell us: “the joy over the unprecedented event in the Gold Coast was beyond description”.
THE ERA OF THE BISHOPS IN THE INDEPENDENT MISSION TERRITORY OF KETA
On the 14th of March 1923, the Vacariate of the Lower Volta was created and was put under the Dutch Province of the SMA fathers. His Lordship, Bishop Augustine Herman, SMA was appointed to head the Vicariate and he arrived at Keta on the 23rd of October 1923.
Bishop Herman who arrived in Keta in 1923 worked personally as an evangelizer moving out, first, on foot then, on a bicycle and later on, in a Pickup. He covered the whole territory of the Lower Vicariate from Keta to Bawku in North. His concentration in what we now refer to as the Northern Region was the Yendi Diocese. He helped build schools in Bimbila and Yendi.
Bishop Herman spent himself opening new Churches and building many primary schools in all the towns and villages he visited without counting the cost.
One of the significant events that issued in the era of Bishop Herman was the division of Togo as a nation. After the World War I, France and Britain agreed on the 17th of July 1920 to divide Togo into two. These two European nations drew a line from north to south dividing Togoland into two. The French took the eastern half and the British took the western half.
At this time, from 1920 to 1923, there was a struggle between the ecclesiastical authorities in Rome and in the Gold Coast whether to create the Keta Mission as a Vicariate or Kumasi or Ashanti as a Vicariate.
On August 23, 1922 the Superior General, Père Chabert wrote to Msgr. Hummel of Cape Coast:
“We propose to Rome to erect a Dutch Province, convinced that in doing so, we shall provide our missions with a numerous Staff and our houses of Keer and Blitterswyck with the local resources they need for living and developing. Although we will continue to send the Dutch subjects everywhere, the Holy See surely will insist to trust a Mission territory to them. We do not think of offering to them one of the existing Vacariates. Considering the propositions your Lordship made to me, I am of the opinion – and all the members of the Council are in agreement with me, that the territory of British Togoland on the left bank of the Volta, excluding therefore all the territory on the right bank, or else of the Ashantis, would offer a field of labour for their zeal.” (SMA Presence in Volta Region since 1923 page 15)
After a protracted discussion, On March 15 1923, the Apostolic Vicariate of the Lower Volta was created.
On January 15, 1923, the Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith signed the document, agreeing to the erection of the Dutch Province.
Bishop Auguste Herman who was a military chaplain in World War I was consecrated at Strasbourg on June 13, 1923 as Titular Bishop of Bubastis.
Bishop Herman took as his Motto on his Coat of Arms – “Sicut Miles Christi” – which means “As a Soldier of Christ”. As I mentioned earlier, he transformed the whole of the Vicariate of the Lower Volta. Today, we can say that the single most numerous Christian denomination in the Volta Region is Catholic. This is undoubtedly due to Bishop Auguste Herman 1923 – 1945.
John van Brakel, SMA writes in “The Missionary Presence in the Volta Region since 1923:
“Three days after his official reception (October 21 1923) the Bishop is off on trek on bush bike for 16 days, in order to acquaint himself with his mission territory. He went through the Keta-Lagoon, then on dry ground, to Anyako, Abor, Ahunda, Ho Kpandu, Peki and all the way to Kete Krachi on a tour through his jurisdiction. This became his routine, as it later turned out. Little time was spent at his residence; for far the greater part of the years, Msgr. Herman was on the move, so much so that comparing him with his neighbour, Msgr. Cessou of Lome, it was said:
“Bishop Cessou writes circulars, Bishop Herman circulates”.
The Death of Bishop Augustine Herman.
On the 2nd of April 1945 there was a large gathering of the Priests, Religious, traditional rulers and people to celebrate with the Bishop whose health was failing before being carried home by boat through Lome.
On the 7th of April 1945, he was carried to Lome Hospital. On Sunday, 8th April 1945 at 7.15 p.m. Bishop Herman died.
On Tuesday morning April 10 1945 a Pontifical Requiem Mass was celebrated. Present were Msgr. Porter of Cape Coast, Prefect Noser of Accra, Msgr. Parisot from Quidah (Dahomey/Benin).
After 22 years of hard work, a holy life, with a lot of suffering and misunderstanding between him and his priests and some lay faithful, Bishop Herman was laid to rest in the side chapel of St. Michael’s Pro-Cathedral Church up to this day.
One observer describes him as “an extremely hardworking Bishop, walking, cycling or otherwise carrying the Gospel and education to the doorsteps of the people”. (Ibid)
MSGR. JOSEPH GERALD HOLLAND, SMA
When Bishop Herman died on the 8th of April 1945, another important priest Rev. Fr. W. Hendrix who was working in Abor also died on the 8th of June 1945.
After the death of Bishop Herman became the Pro-Vicar of the Vicariate of the Lower Volta.
On July 18 1946, Msgr. Celso Costantini, the Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith signed a document proclaiming that Rev. Fr. Joseph Gerald Holland, SMA had been appointed titular Bishop of Ammaedara and Vicar Apostolic of the Lower Volta.
On Sunday October 13, 1946 Msgr. Holland was consecrated in the Cathedral of Cork, Ireland by Bishop Cohalan of Cork assisted by Bishop Collins of Monrovia, Liberia and Bishop Hughes of Ondo, Nigeria.
Msgr. Holland arrived in Keta on the 18th of January 1947. Msgr. Holland saw that new parish stations were not opened for the past 10 years. So he launched into action to open new parishes and build better Churches.
Papase was opened in 1948 by Fr. Wagemakers; Jan Doeswijk was brought from Kete Krachi to open Teteman in 1951. Nkonya Wurupong was opened by Rev. Fr. Zijlstra in 1950.
One great and sad incident at this time was on Tuesday February 8th 1949 when one of the most famous and hardworking priest – Fr. Lambertus Bernts lost his life by accident on the Wane Pass.
On the 18th of April 1950, the establishment of the Episcopal Hierarchy in British West Africa was promulgated by Decree.
Through this Keta became a Diocese with Keta St. Michael’s Church as the Cathedral Church.
Bishop Holland did not last much in the diocese. He was not healthy and so in 1950 he went home to Britain. Fr. Anthony Konings was his Vicar General. On May 31st 1952, he returned to the diocese.
On July 20th 1952, Bishop J. G. Holland was enthroned in his private Chapel since he was the first diocesan bishop of the Keta Diocese. The ceremony was performed by Archbishop W. Th. Porter of Cape Coast in the presence of his Vicar General, Fr. Anthony Konings and Rev. Fr. Breukel, the parish priest of Dzelukope.
But in September 1952, Bishop Holland went to see his doctor in Accra who advised him to go back to Europe. He went back to Britain and offered his resignation which was received by the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith on June 4th 1953.
Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Konings was appointed the Apostolic Administrator in the same year – 1953. Whilst Bishop Bowers of Accra ordained Fr. Joseph Kpeglo at Keta in 1953, Rev. Fr. Philip Bonto was the only priest ordained by Bishop Holland in 1949.
Bishop Holland also opened St. Francis Training College, Hohoe, in 1947 as soon as he entered the diocese. During the tenure of office of Bishop Holland, in January 1952, the Rev. F. Cornelius Priems came to open the first Catholic Secondary School in the Volta Region in Kpando, Ho Diocese. This College was named after Bishop Herman. This remains one of the best Schools in the Country up to this day.
BISHOP ANTHONY KONINGS, SMA
Msgr. Anthony Konings was consecrated at Posterholt, his native village in the Netherlands on May 1st 1954 by the local Ordinary, Bishop Lemmens of Roemond assisted by his auxiliary, Bishop Hansen and Bishop Paulissen of Kumasi, who just retired.
Bishop Konings took for his Coat of Arms, his Motto: “Iter Para Tutum”, meaning “Make ready for a safe way”.
In 1947, Fr. Konings was appointed by Bishop Holland as his Pro-Vicar. When Keta became a diocese in 1950, Fr. Konings became the Vicar General. But because the bishop was absent from 1950, he was always acting as the one in charge, right from 1950 until he became the Bishop-Elect of Keta on February 27 1954.
When Bishop Konings returned to the Diocese in 1954, he appointed his own assistant priest when he was the parish priest in Jasikan, Rev. Fr. Joseph Giesen as his Vicar General and parish Priest of Keta. Bishop Konings began his work immediately:
- Setting up of a good infrastructure of the diocese with a good administration.
- He took seriously the formation of priests and religious. He opened St. Mary’s Minor Seminary and later on the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church.
- He initiated facilities for education and Health Care. You can see the new Schools, Bishop Herman College, St. Paul’s Secondary School, O.L.A. Secondary School and St. Teresa’s Training College.
He developed good accommodation for the priests, the Mission houses were improved and new Churches were built.
The Bishop went into the development of Health facilities in the Diocese; Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital, Kpando, Anfoega Catholic Hospital, Anfoega, Dzodze, St. Anthony Hospital, Mary Theresa Hospital, Papase, Abor Clinic and Nkwanta, St. Joseph’s Clinic.
Under Bishop Konings there was much expansion in our educational and health facilities. The diocesan priests continued to increase in number and in their responsibilities.
THE PRESENT ERA OF DIOCESAN PRIESTS
In 1965, Rev. Fr. Joachim Eleeza was already appointed as Acting Headmaster of St. Paul’s Secondary school. Rev. Fr. Rudolph Apietu took over as the Substantive Headmaster by 1966. In 1972, Rev. Fr. Lodonu became the substantive Headmaster and Rector of St. Mary’s Seminary/Secondary School. In the same year he became the Vicar General.
On 29th June 1973, Msgr. Francis Lodonu was ordained as auxiliary Bishop by Pope Paul VI in Rome. He was given the titular See of Mascula.
Bishop Lodonu was consecrated in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome with 9 other Bishops who were consecrated to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s papacy. He was assisted by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli and Cardinal Bernadin Gantin who were at that time (in 1973) Archbishops.
He took for his Coat of Arms, his motto: “Facere Voluntatem Tuam” - “To Do Your Will”. This comes from Ps. 40:8 – “How I love to do your will my God”. This is well explained in Hebrews Chapter 10 Vs 5 -7:
“For this reason, when Christ was about to come into the world, he said to God:
You do not want sacrifices and offerings,
But you have prepared a body for me.
You are not pleased with animals, burnt
Whole on the altar
Or with sacrifices to take away sins.
Then I said, Here I am
To do your will O God,
Just as it is written of me in the book of the law”.
The Bishop stressed that he believes that his choice is only the will of God and not because he deserves it. He always keeps in mind Jn. 15:16 – “You did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit.”
Since Bishop Konings was not very healthy at that time, the auxiliary bishop had to travel throughout the whole Keta Diocese on pastoral visitation as many areas did not see their bishop for some time now.
On 20th June 1975 the See was removed from Keta to Ho with the new designation of Keta-Ho Diocese. Msgr. Konings resigned on health reason and this was accepted on 10th April 1976. On the 15th of August 1976, the Bishop, Francis Kofi Anani Lodonu was installed in the Stadium of Ho by the Archbishop of Cape Coast, Most Rev. John Kwodwo Amissah in the presence of the Papal Delegate for Ghana and Nigeria and all the Bishops of Ghana. The Head of State, General Acheampong and almost all the Ministers were present.
There were thousands of Catholics and well-wishers on that memorable day. The Regional Commissioner at that time, Col. Gabriel Amevor played a pivotal role in the whole organization that saw many delegates from other West African countries as well.
During this period the diocesan priests who were just 25 in 1973 reached almost 120 before the diocese was divided into 3 in 1994.
The elementary schools grew in number, the Secondary Schools expanded and the Training Colleges have become Tertiary Institutions. Many young people benefited from Vocational Training Programmes mounted by the Church.
A Commercial College has been built and a large Mechanical Workshop to train our youth is also established.
Ho has become the true headquarters of the Church not only in the Ho Diocese but in the Volta Region.
A large diocesan administrative block is built. A large Social Centre named Bishop Konings Social Centre is built and it is open to the general public for conferences and workshops. Ho Township alone has 5 parishes since the era of the diocesan priests.
CONCLUSION
On the 19th of December 1994, the Keta-Ho Diocese was divided into three: Ho which is the continuation of the Keta Diocese remains in the centre of the Volta Region.
Jasikan Diocese is in the north of the Ho Diocese and Keta-Akatsi Diocese is in the south of the Ho Diocese.
Despite all the difficulties which the Ho Diocese encounters, it is full of hope and feel assured of God’s protecting hand.
Since 1994 the Ho Diocese received special blessings from God through new arrivals. The Redemptorist Fathers from Columbia, Latin America are firmly established in the diocese and have begun to get vocations to the priesthood.
Two Ecclesial Communities that favour the spiritual growth of the laity in particular have also been established.
The Madonna House Apostolate in Ho is a great spiritual centre for the diocese in particular but for Ghana as a whole.
We thank God for the benefit of the Foyer de Charité of Alavanyo Abehenease which has become a veritable Spiritual Renewal Centre for the Laity, the Clergy and the Religious of Ghana. Many are also coming from the neighbouring countries to benefit from this Retreat House. Indeed God loves us.
With the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Conception as the Patron and Patroness of the Ho Diocese, we are bound to move ahead spiritually and temporally. |
