Today, the 31^st day of October 2020, marking the end of the Rosary Month, Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu . SVD ordained two priests. They are Rev. Fr. Ernest Asigbetse from St. Augustine Parish Alavanyo, and Rev. Fr. Louis Herman Ocanson from Holy Spirit Parish SNNIT Flat, Ho. This colourful event took place at St. Francis of Assisi chapel in the presence of about 80 priests, 30 religious and a session of the laity.

The Bishop congratulated the new priests for taking such bold steps despite the challenges involved. He also thanked their parents for offering their wards to serve the church as priests who will sacrifice for the sins of others and their own sins as well. In his homily, he admonished the newly ordained to eschew all kinds of jealousy and envy which are the very evils that kill the missionary zeal but to work together for the common good of the church and for their own good. He said further that they should learn to prepare good homilies and avoid copying from the internet since we live in a technological world, a world in which the priest is no longer the only learned person in the society. He also urged the lay to continue to pray for their priests and assist them as they continue their shepherding roles amongst them. He also used the medium to wish them a fulfilled ministry.

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The Catholic Bishop of Ho and a cross-section of the Catholic faithful of the Ho Diocese, as well as a number of people across the Liati Traditional area colourfully converged at the forecourt of the St George Catholic Health Centre at Liati to mark the 29th edition of the World sick day on the 11th February 2021 since its institution by Pope St John Paul II in May 199 under the theme “ you have but one teacher and you are all brothers (Mt23:8), a trust-based relationship to guide care for the sick.

Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, the Catholic Bishop of Ho, in the Eucharistic celebration to launch the occasion, emphasized in his homily that, it was a moment to acknowledge and pray for the sick and all their caregivers in a very special way, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Bishop further elucidated on the Gospel reading for the day (Mark 7:24-30). He proposed that the faith of the Syrophoenician woman who insisted by faith on getting the healing she desired for her daughter despite initial hesitation by Jesus should be emulated. The sick who visit the Catholic facilities are encouraged to present their grievances to the complaint desk rather than complaining outside the facility. The Bishop appreciated the efforts of the workers in the facilities and reminded them of Christian principles of health care, especially, against the embarkment on strikes. Bishop Fianu SVD further called on the audience to be more committed to the general precautionary measures regarding COVID -19. He also read the Pope's Message for the day and delegated Rev. Fr. Theophilus Sena Ameka, the Chaplain of the host facility to visit and pray for those who were on admission at the facility.

Notable dignitaries who graced the occasion included the Paramount Chief of Liati, Tɔgbe Gblẽmɔ X (Chairperson for the day), chiefs and elders of the Liati, Leklebi and Ve Traditional Areas, the DCE of Afadzato South District, Honorable James Etornam Flolu, Ho Diocesan Health Board members, a representative from the Volta Regional Health Directorate,  some Priests and the Consecrated in the Ho Diocese, educational institutions in the Liati township, and many other individuals from the Catholic Institutions across the Ho Diocese.

Mr. Hanson Torde, the Ho Diocesan Health Director, in his address, revealed that rigorous plans are underway to upgrade the St George Health Centre at Liati to a Polyclinic status.

The event was concluded with an Episcopal blessing by the Bishop.

DEPSOCOM-HO 2021

On Sunday 14th of February 2021, the Bishop of Ho, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu as part of his pastoral visit to St. Stephen Parish celebrated and conferred on 194 candidates the Sacrament of Confirmation from two zones of the parish thus Kpetoe and Ziope which includes Kpetoe, Agorhokpo, Afegame, Vodzakpo, Batume Junction, Akpokofe, Honugo 1, Honugo 2 and Ziope. The solemn Eucharistic celebration was well attended by the catholic faithful across the Parish, the Chiefs, and people of Ziope Traditional Area. The celebration was hosted by the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Moses Ameveanku and his two Parochial Vicars Rev. Frs. Frank Paul Gbenya and Sebastian Sekpe at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Ziope, one of the mission lands of the parish.

In his homily, the Bishop expounded on the readings of the day relating them to the current situation facing the world and Ghana as a country- the Covid-19 pandemic. He urged the faithful to learn something very important from this situation as regards the washing of hands, sanitizing our hands, and covering our mouths. He pleaded with the faithful to take the protocols seriously so as to remain safe since they- the faithful are the church. In admonishing the confirmands, the bishop explained that the sacrament of confirmation is to strengthen their faith and so they are to be committed to the service to the church most especially as witnesses to the Gospel

The Bishop after the post-communion prayer officially launched the Year of St. Joseph in the Diocese. He made known the Pope’s intention for the celebration of the Year of St Joseph, which he (Pope Francis) declared in his Apostolic letter “Patris Corde” (With a Father’s Heart) on 8th December 2020 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. The special prayer to St Joseph in the Ewe Catholic Hymnal (Dzifomor) was prayed to officially launch the Year of St Joseph.

The Chiefs of Ziope Traditional Area also took turns to make a speech. This speech was delivered by Zikpuitor Frank Gasese on behalf of the paramount chief; Togbe Binah Lawluvi VI.

The Parish Priest and the entire faithful of St. Stephen Parish are grateful to God and the Bishop for the success of the program.

DEPSOCOM-HO 2021

The Late Rev. Fr. Evaristus Tsevi was born on 25th October 1969 at Dayi in the Republic of Togo. Rev Fr. Evaristus Tsevi was the Priest in charge of St. Aloysius Parish, Gbi Atabu before he received his higher call from the Almighty. In 1999, Fr Tsevi entered St. Paul's Seminary for his Philosophical studies and then moved to  St. Peter's Seminary Pedu to pursue his Theological studies in the year 2002 and completed successfully in 2007. He was ordained into the Priesthood on the 7th  July 2007 among his historical Class called  "Seven Seven" by Bishop Emeritus Francis Kofi Lodonu.  

Rest well Fr. Evaristus Tsevi. Till we meet again. 

Follow us live from St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church for his Burial Mass.

https://www.facebook.com/Hocatholic/videos/3885105834868387/

or at Ho Catholic Diocese Facebook Page.

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ho, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD has on Monday, April 12, 2021, ordained six acolytes into the Diaconate Order.

They were Revs. Prosper Toyi Akumeni and Rudolph Kodjo Tsekpo from Immaculate Conception Parish, Kpando; Rev. Daniel Tenu Kwame Yeboah - Sacred Heart Parish, Fodome; Rev. Yohanes Komla Adjei - Our Lady of Lourdes, Kpando-Agbenoxoe; Rev. David Seyram Addo from St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Dzemeni and Rev. Eugene Kodzo Adzaklu C.Ss.R  -  St. Peter's Parish Vakpo, who is a candidate of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (The Redemptorists).

The candidates during the ceremony were urged to commit themselves to the Evangelical Councils of Poverty, Celibacy, and the Promise of Obedience to their Local Ordinary and his successors, after which they were then invested with stole and Dalmatic. By virtue of this ordination into the transitional diaconal ministry, they become members of the clergy and a step towards the sacerdotal ministry.  Their major task characterized by their new status is to serve the people of God in fraternal charity.

Bishop Fianu, in his homily, first of all, thanked the parents for giving out their children to the church to serve the faithful. He encouraged the newly ordained deacons to always avail themselves to learn more about the ministry God has called them to.

Furthermore, he entreated them to prepare adequately through constant reading, meditation and research on the Word of God before preaching to the lay faithful. “You should also be abreast with the new interpretation of the faith of the Church,” he stated.

The Bishop, moreover, admonished the candidates to serve with humility and to always take instructions from their superiors.

The ceremony which took place at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Ho-Bankoe, was witnessed by the candidates' parents, a session of the clergy and religious as well as seminarians from the diocese.

The number of attendants to the ceremony was restricted due to the pandemic and those who were in attendance observed strictly the covid protocols.  

DEPSOCOM-HO, 2021