Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD begun his canonical visit to Holy Parish, Hohoe Ahado on the 14th of June, 2021. In the late hours of the day at 3:15pm after his arrival, he was welcomed by the Priest in charge, Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre and the Parish Pastoral Council(P.P.C.) 

His Lordship paid a courtesy call on the chiefs and elders of Gbi-Ahado. There he was warmly welcomed by Togbe Kutor VIII and his elders. In his address, he thanked the people of Ahado for allowing the church to grow on their land. The Chief, Togbe Kutor VIII also expressed his gratitude to the Bishop and the Parish Pastoral Council members for the historical visit to them. He again prayed for continuous collaboration between the Church and the people of Ahado.

Right after the meeting with the chiefs and elders,  His Lordship was given a surprised colourful birthday celebration. He was joined by the Priest in charge and the Chairman of the P.P.C. to cut a cake to mark his 64th birthday celebration.

 Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD was joined in a Eucharistic celebration by the Priest in charge of the Parish, Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre at 5:45 am on Tuesday, 15th June, 2021. In his homily, His Lordship admonished the faithful to let their attitude toward others not to be one of hatred, rejection or indifference.

 "We should always have a commitment of goodwill, whether the people love us or not. This is only possible if we are people of faith and if we really take the words or teachings of Jesus to heart.  We may be moved to act in this way if we take note of the reason that Jesus gave for recommending the love of enemies", He said.

Right after the Eucharist celebration, he held a meeting with the Catechists of the Parish. He also had a meeting with headteachers as well as teachers of Holy Rosary R.C Schools to address some of their pressing issues.

In the afternoon, his Lordship met the Parish Finance Committee (P.F.C.) to discuss issues concerning the finances of the Parish.

The bishop ended the second day of his week long visit with a meeting with Choirs in the Parish  where they interacted concerning some pressing issues.

Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD had a Eucharistic celebration at  St. Michael Church, Adabraka at 6:00am on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. In his homily, His Lordship admonished the faithful not to look for the acknowledgment of people when they give alms.

"Moments of alms-giving should also not be turned into occasions of publicity to let people know what we are doing. A true and faithful Christian who wants to follow the teachings of Christ will be discreet in offering alms.

We should be happy that God knows what we are doing in secret", He said. After the Eucharist celebration, he had a meeting with the Local Pastoral Council (L.P.C.). He also held a meeting with Strategic Planning Development and Maintenance sub committee.

His Lordship also had a meeting with the women of the Parish and wrapped up the third day of his canonical visit with a meeting with men in the Parish.

The Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Ho, Most Reverend Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD together with Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre met with parishioners on Thursday morning to celebrate Mass at Holy Rosary Church.

In his homily, his Lordship beseeched the faithful to learn to develop the right attitude to prayer and know how to blend praise and supplication to the greater glory of God.

"Just as our alms-giving is a private affair and should be treated as such, so also our private or personal prayers. We should not turn moments of private prayer into public shows. This only makes us hypocrites and not people of faith", he added.

His Lordship met with various community leaders after the Eucharist celebration where he charged them to assist the Priest to bring Christ to the people they are leading.  His Lordship also had a meeting with the various youth groups and the non-aligned youths in the Parish where he provided answers to all their questions.

He ended his day with a meeting with the Local Pastoral Council (L.P.C.) of Holy Rosary Church.

Friday, 18th June, 2021 in the eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD continued his canonical visit to Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe with a morning Mass. 

In his homily, his Lordship advised the faithful to learn to faithfully follow the Lord Jesus Christ so that they can store treasures in heaven. He added that, "The treasure to be stored in heaven is gained by obedience to God and his commandments".

 The Bishop paid a visit to an all day Parish Pastoral Council (P.P.C.) leadership training been held for members of the various P. P. C's in the denary at St. Augustine's Catholic Church, Gbi- Abansi.

Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD began his sixth Day canonical visit to the Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe Ahado with a Eucharist celebration on Saturday, June 19 2021.

He advised the faithful not to despair in life but put their trust in God who cares for them because they are of value more than the flowers in the field or the birds in the air.

"What Jesus wants us to learn from the birds of the air and the flowers in the fields is how we are to combine hard work with quiet confidence in God for all our future needs.

 This attitude contrasts with those who look on their material possessions and think they have no need of God.

They think their wealth can procure them food, health and shelter so they do not need God. People of this kind are certainly mistaken.

No matter our socio-economic standing, we all need to be thoughtful and careful about our future provisions.  We cannot however do this without making God part of our planning", He added. His Lordship paid a visit to Holy Rosary Parish lands at Avega and Galikope respectively. He later had a meeting with the Parish Pastoral Council (P.P.C.) and a town hall meeting with parishioners.

The Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Ho, Most Reverend Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD ended his week long visit to the Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe Ahado with a Holy Mass. In his homily on the twelfth Sunday in ordinary Time, Year B, he invited the faithful to place all their trust in Jesus. In this way, they are sure that he will calm all the storms that they encounter in their lives.

"It is important to know how to call on Jesus Christ in prayer and wait for his response in faith", He added. The Parishioners who could not hide their joy at his visit, thanked him very much and also pleaded with him to return to the Parish as soon as possible to cut sod for the commencement of their Mission House and Parish Hall Complex.

The Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council, Mr. Cherubim Anthony Tsogbe thanked the Bishop on behalf of the parishioners for his visit and presented him a pyrography portrait of his Lordship  as well as some cash. many other gifts were presented to his Lordship by the some of the parishioners .

He beseeched his Lordship to ask for God's blessings for Miss Veronica Abigail Obum and her family for her generosity towards the purchase of granite stone to complete the main Altar. 

The Bishop also expressed his gratitude to the congregation for the warm reception offered him during his visit.

 Our Mother of Perpetual Help Confraternity in the Ho Diocese has inaugurated its Youth Wing in a Ceremony at St. Cecilia Parish, Ho-Dome.

The inauguration brought together delegates of members of the Confraternity from the entire diocese from Friday 25th June to Sunday 27th June 2021. Activities included a requiem Mass for departed members, talks, confession, drama, and film show.

In an inaugural homily of the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Ho Diocesan Chaplain of OMPHC, Rev. Fr. Anthony Mawuli Ahiabor exhorted the faithful to follow the example of Jesus by cherishing and preserving life from the very moment of conception up to its natural end, instead of destroying it.

He further encouraged the faithful to join the various devotional groups in the Church so as to build their faith. He debunked the view that Perpetual Help Confraternity is for the aged. With the inauguration of the youth wing of the group, he called on the youth to join the group in their numbers.

The inauguration also saw the initiation of 30 youth into the confraternity.

Most Rev. Francis Kofi Anani Lodonu, Bishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Ho, on the 29th of June, 2021, marked his 48th Episcopal Anniversary. This day was marked with Solemn Holy Mass in commemoration of Ss. Peter and Paul the two strong pillars of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

The Bishop Emeritus, before the mass, as his introduction, refreshed the minds of those present about how he had to hurriedly leave his post as the then headmaster of St. Mary Seminary Secondary School to Rome to be ordained a bishop by Pope Paul VI. 

The homilist Rev. Fr. Raphael Azarias Benuyenah used the opportunity to explain into detail the understanding of the catholic priesthood which he said was at the request of the Bishop Emeritus. He said, priestly functions of prayer and sacrifices can and may be performed by any believer but priesthood and priestly life and ritual functions either on altars or within the family household are reserved for household heads and their successors.  He added further that, priesthood as an institution, is by the choice and call of God. The Catholic Priesthood is instituted therefore by Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the Priest of non-Israelite source, head of the Christian household and established by the faith community after him.

He also used the opportunity to congratulate the Bishop Emeritus for his remarkable achievements amidst all the difficulties he had to undergo as a shepherd of the flock of Ho Diocese. 

 In attendance were some priests, religious and lay faithful.

We continue to pray for him, most especially, we ask God to bless him with good health.  

The Bishop of Ho, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, yesterday, 2nd August 2021 announced with deep sorrow the demise of Rev. Fr. John Adanfo. He died in the late hours of Sunday, 1st August 2021 at bout 10:45 pm at Magaret Marquart Catholic Hospital, Kpando. He was residing in the retirement home for the priests (Madonna House) at ho Dome before his death.

As we wait for the burial announcements to be made, the bishop asked all of us to continue to pray for the peaceful repose of his soul and also to pray for the bereaved family. 

May he rest in peace.

The workshop which took place today 3^rd September 2021, was attended by about 65 participants from all the parishes in the Diocese.

Rev. Fr. Jesse Amedzi delivered a talk on 'Tools needed to empower choirmasters to revamp the weak and defunct choirs in the Parishes'. Using the Brainstorming method, the Facilitator helped the Audience to, first of all, come out with identified causes of the weakness and dormancy in choirs.

These, among others, were identified:

*Inadequate Choirmasters

*Inadequate support/ remuneration for Choirmasters at the Diocesan and Parish levels

*Reluctance of Men and the youth to join choirs in the various stations

*Inadequate sacrifice and discipline among existing choristers

*Financial burden on smaller parishes making it difficult to support choirmasters

*Changing times and disinterestedness of the current age for spiritual activities

*Indiscipline among choirmasters

*Inadequate recognition and encouragement of some choirs by some Priests

The Speaker recommended that choirs and choirmasters should have a VISION in line with the church's Vision of saving Souls as an intrinsic motivation for their duties.

Participants also identified appreciation and remuneration of Choirmasters and Choristers, empowering the Diocesan Music Directorate with the necessary logistics and tools, regular training of/for choirmasters, as some necessary actions to revamp outstation choirs.

Mr. Richard Amrago (Ho Municipal Education Office Coordinator for Culture and Music), who delivered a talk on 'Skills and Competencies of the 21st Century Church Music Director', recommended that Choirmasters should use modern technological gadgets to augment their music praxis. For him, the Music Director is to control and harmonize every sound that is produced during the liturgy, including the music accompaniment, and fixing of PA systems etc. He further urged the participants to make themselves available and distinguish between Liturgical music and pop music.

Mr. Pius Peni, the Special Guest, commended the efforts of the members of the current Music Commission as far as the development of Liturgical Music in the Diocese is concerned.

The Diocesan Chaplain encouraged the Participants to endeavour to put into practice all they came to learn. He also intimated that such plans as establishing Music Training Schools in each Deanery as near future plans of the Directorate.

I thank the Bishop, all Parish Priests and Parish Choir Chaplains for their support towards a successful workshop.

(Fr. Dennis Kumah Mawulɔ̃m Asare)

Diocesan Chaplain for Choirs, Ho.

Fr Adanfo laid to Rest

The Catholic Diocese of Ho on Friday laid to rest Very Rev. Fr Cantus Anku Adanfo after a Requiem Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ho Kpevele.

The Mass was presided over by Most. Rev Emmanuel Kofi Fianu SVD and concelebrated by the Vicar General Very Rev. Fr Walter Agbetoh and Very Rev. Fr Mawusi , the president of Ho diocesan priests Assocaition.Richard 

The Bishop in his homily called on the faithful to always follow the teachings of Christ to gain eternal life as Fr. John had taught us through his journey as a priest of God.

Fr. Adanfo's journey to the Sacred Priesthood of the Holy Roman Catholic Church started at the Preparatory Seminary at Dzelukofe in January 1958 after which he proceeded to the St. Teresa's Minor Seminary, Amisano for Secondary and Sixth Form. He later continued his education at St. Peter`s Regional Seminary, Pedu – Cape Coast in August 1966 where he was trained in Philosophical and Theological studies.

He was ordained as catholic Priest together with his nephew the former Cathedral Administrator of the then Keta-Ho Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Sylvester Mawusi on 16th July 1972 at Kpando by Bishop Anthony Konings of blessed memory.

Fr. John worked as a priest in the Catholic Church for 49 years - pastoring several parishes and serving in various positions in and outside the diocese.

Before he died, Fr. John worked at the following parishes; Sacred Heart Cathedral, Ho-Bankoe, Ss. Peter and Paul Parish Dzodze, Nkonya Parish, St. Augustine's Parish Hohoe, and Immaculate Conception of Mary Catholic Church Kpando.

Fr Adanfo also taught at St. Mary's Minor Seminary in Lolobi and finally retired as Chaplain for Anfoega Catholic Hospital, Anfoega, in the Volta Region.

Rv. Fr. John Adanfo also practiced his ministry in the Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

Fr. Adanfo was also so much involved in developmental and peace building initiative projects in his hometown of Tafi-Atome.

The late priest was described by many as a Priest who was endowed with the charism of healing and deliverance.

 He also helped several people – the oppressed and those afflicted by evil spirits as well as those who had varied physical ailments. His healing ministry brought joy, satisfaction, relief and consolation to many in the Diocese and beyond.

DEPSOCOM HO