Pope Francis confirm resignation of Keta-Akatsi Bishop

Bishop Emeritus Anthony Adanuty 

The Head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Most Rev. Anthony Adanuty, the Bishop of the Keta-Akatsi Catholic diocese in the Volta region of Ghana.

Bishop Adanuty who was said to have tendered in his resignation a year ago, after  attaining  the ‘ canonical’ age of 75 years, had his resignation confirmed by the Pope on Thursday, April 7, 2016.

A brief statement from the Vatican to the church in Ghana stated, "the Holy Father, on 7th April 2016, accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Keta-Akatsi (Ghana), presented by His Excellency Most Rev. Anthony Kwami Adanuty, in accordance with Canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law."

The statement also  announced the Bishop of the Ho Catholic diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu  as interim head of the Keta-Akatsi diocese. “The  Holy Father has accordingly appointed His Excellency Most Rev. Emmanuel Fianu, S.V.D., Bishop of Ho (Ghana) as Apostolic Administrator for the sede vacant et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the same Diocese.”

Monsignor Emmanuel Fianu ordained new Catholic Bishop of Ho

 

The ordination and installation of the new Bishop elect for the Catholic diocese of Ho in the Volta region region,Monsignor Emmanuel Fianu is underway at  Jubilee park in Ho.

Monsignor Fianu who is an SVD priest was elected by Pope Francis in July 2015 as the successor to the first Ghanaian Bishop of the then Keta-Ho diocese, and now Ho diocese, Most Rev. Francis Kofi Anane  Lodonu.

Bishop Emeritus, Lodonu was in charge of the Roman Catholic Church in the Volta region for the past four decades and over.

Thousands of Catholic faithfully across the Volta region and the country have thronged the Jubilee park in Ho  to witness this  special event.

Other dignitaries including members of the GHANA Catholic Bishops conference are also in attendance. Traditional leaders including president of the Volta regional house of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV and top government officials led by the the Speaker of Ghana's parliament Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho are also in attendance. 

Togbe Afede XIV (2nd L) flanked to his left by Hon. Helen Ntoso (Volta regional minister)

There are  missionary priests, bishops and other religious from parts of Africa, including Togo, Bennin, Nigeria among others in attendance. The Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) at Vatican is also presence to support of his members, who until his appointment, was the Secretary General of the SVD.

The principal consecrator at this ceremony is His Eminnce, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, Archbishop merit us of Cape coast in Ghana and the current President of the Pontifical council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican.

He will be assisted by the Apostolic Nuncio to GHANA, Most Rev. Jean-Marie Speich and Bishop emeritus of Ho Most Rev. Francis Lodonu.

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15:15GMT: the new bishop of Ho diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Fianu addressing the congregants. He expresses gratitude to all and sundry for their well wishes and prayers. Calls for everyone's support in his ministry as the new leader of the Catholic Church in Ho.

Bishop Fianu extols the good works of his immediate predecessor, Bishop emeritus, Francis Lodonu and expressed profound gratitude to him for successfully leading the church in last 40 years and more.

He promise to organize a grand event in the near future to honour the bishop emeritus.

Bishop Fianu, in shades, flanked by Apostolic Nuncio (L) and Cardinal Turkson (R)