St. Paul’s Catholic Seminary Celebrates Benefactors’ Day
The entire seminary community of St. Paul’s Catholic Seminary, Sowutuom on 18th May, 2025 held their annual benefactors’ day celebration to show appreciation to their benefactors and benefactresses for the support they have shown to the community since its existence.
The celebration, which brought together friends and families of the seminary community was graced by Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gymafi, Bishop of Sunyani diocese and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference.
In a welcome address delivered by Very Rev. Fr. Dr. John Doe Dormah, Vice Rector of the seminary, he shared with the congregation how the community prepared towards the celebration.
According to him, the community had prepared both physically and spiritually with nine days of intensive prayer sessions for the success of the Benefactors’ day celebration.
He added that it was important to show appreciation to benefactors and benefactresses as this paves way for God’s blessings upon them.
He said, “… it is for this reason that we have gathered together to show appreciation to our benefactors and benefactresses and ask for God’s blessings for you all.”
Most. Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gymafi in his homily during the mass emphasized the importance of the formation of priests, noting that the seminary is an “agent of evangelization” to make the church new.
He noted that the dwindling population of Catholics in Ghana is a challenge and that it is important for the potential priests in the seminary to have the passion of evangelization.
“We need you to have that passion of evangelization… The solution is with you, seminarians. We need new breed of priests who have passion for the spread of the word of God”, he said.
Bishop Gyamfi also emphasized the importance of evangelization for the religious in order to grow and sustain the number of Catholics in Ghana.
He said, “If the over 3,000 priests and religious in Ghana now were all working with the missionary zeal of the apostles as I have mentioned, the face of the church will be more beautiful and growth in numbers will be sustained and even increased significantly as happened in the early church”.
He also stated that the support that comes from benefactors and benefactresses of the seminary and the church plays a role in making things new in the church.
During the celebration, there was a fund raising ceremony to gather funds for the completion of the Archbishop Andoh hall in the seminary to help the community host seminars and retreats for people who would want to use the facility.
Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Joseph Okine Quartey, Rector of St. Paul’s Catholic Seminary showed appreciation to the benefactors and benefactresses for the support.
He said, “We take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation for each and every one of you. Your support is the cornerstone for our seminary’s growth and development and we can continue this vital work because of you”
He also urged them to continue supporting the community in order to make the facility contribute to the spiritual growth and wellbeing of the church.
This year’s Benefactors’ day celebration of St. Paul’s Catholic Seminary was attended by Papal Knights and Dames, Knights and Ladies of Marshall, Knights of St. John International, Christian Mothers Association, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Rev. Sisters of various congregations, friends and families of the seminary community.
By: Veronica Sena Amenya.
DEPSOCOM Accra
