Vincent Mensah
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The St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at Elmina was recently raised to the status of a Minor Basilica.
It was built in 1890, ten years after Rev. Frs.Auguste Moreau and Eugune Murat of the Society of African Missions (SMA) had arrived in the Gold Coast.
An announcement on its elevation was made during Holy Mass in Elmina by His Eminence Ivan Cardinal Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, when he was in Ghana to perform ceremonies to climax the Centenary celebrations of Northern Ghana.
Most Rev. George Kocherry, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, praised Mrs. Anna Amissah, an Elder of the Church, for mooting the idea that the Church should be elevated to the status of a Basilica.
He presented Mrs. Amissah, who was in a wheel chair, a rosary from Pope Benedict XVI.
His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast, enumerating the functions of a Basilica, said St. Joseph’s Church has an intrinsic relations with the Chair of St. Peter in Rome and the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI.
The Basilica should be seen as a Pilgrimage Centre which should stimulate the lay faithful in various forms of devotions and charitable activities.
The Basilica should also be a Diocesan Centre of Liturgical formation for Priests, Religious and the lay faithful where special teachings of the Pope’s Magisterium, retreats and seminars are to be held.
As a centre of heavenly grace, Plenary Indulgences, will be granted to pilgrims on special days organised by the Rector in consultation with the Pope
Elmina has produced 25 priests – two of whom are Bishops. They are late Most Rev. John Kodwo Amissah, the first Archbishop of Cape Coast, and Most Rev. Matthias Nketsiah, Auxiliary Bishop of Cape Coast.
Front view of St. Joseph Minor Basilica. Inset. Cardinal Turkson enumerating the functions of a Basilica.
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