Pope Benedict appoints new Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop for Kumasi

The Most Reverend Gabriel Justice Anokye has been appointed as the new Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi by Pope Benedict XVI.

This was announced to the clergy and the religious at the Saint Peter’s Basilica by the Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana, Archbishop Leon B. Kalenga, on Tuesday.

The new Archbishop replaces the Most Rev Thomas Kwaku Mensah, who is now on retirement and until his appointment the Most Rev Anokye was the Catholic Bishop of Obuasi.

Born at Emena near Kumasi on May 27, 1960, he was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Kumasi on January 17, 2004, and promoted to Residential Bishop on March 26, 2008.

Between1989-1992, he served as Assistant Priest at the Saint Mary’s Church, South Suntreso, Diocesan Chaplain and the Bishop’s Personal Secretary.

From year 1992-1994, the Most Rev Anokye taught as a Professor at the St Peter’s Regional Seminary, Cape Coast, rising to become the acting Rector from 1999-2003.

The new Metropolitan Archbishop had his Seminary education at the St Hubert’s Minor in Kumasi, continued at the Cape Coast St Peter’s Regional Seminary and the Facultes Catholiques de Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, where he obtained Master’s Degree in Theology.

He also studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris, France, for his Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) Degree in Theology and the Sorbonne Paris IV State University, for another PhD Degree in History of Religions and Religious Anthropology.

Source: GNA