History

Navrongo (circa 1930) - In front of the new church from l., Fr Rémigius McCoy, Bishop Oscar Morin, Bishop Joanny Thévenoud (Apostolic Vicar of Ouagadougou, Upper Volta, in charge of the North of Ghana until 1926) and Fr Louis Durrieu (future Auxiliary Bishop of Ouagadougou, Superior General and Bishop of Ouahigouya, Upper Volta).

1906 - The Church in North Ghana - 2006

(From the Centenary Calendar) - The Missionaries of Africa, known as the White Fathers, arrived from Upper Volta in Navrongo on Monday, 23 April 1906. Rev. Fathers Jean-Marie Chollet from France, Oscar Morin from Canada, together with Brother Eugene Gall from France were the three pioneers. They were accompanied by a contingent of about 20 Africans.

In May 1928, Mother Albertine with Sisters Josephine and Benoîte arrived in Navrongo. The Missionary Sisters of our Lady of Africa (Msola), known as the White Sisters, were involved in an impressive list of good works but bearing always in mind that, through their multiplicity of activities, their objective is to proclaim Jesus Christ and his message of love to Africa. On 29 November 1929 a little caravan coming from Navrongo reached Jirapa. The founding Fathers were Fr Remigius McCoy from Canada, Brother Basilide (Willem Koot) from the Netherlands and Fr Arthur Paquet from Canada. As they used to say: 'God worked miracles there. The Dagaabas took to Christianity as ducks take to water'.

Jirapa, 1930, a few months after founding among the Dagaabas, from l., Fr. A. Paquet, Fr. R. McCoy and Br Basilide (Willem Koot).

Lavigerie's repeated refrain was 'Africans must be evangelised by Africans'. Msgr. Alexis Abatey was the first African in the North of Ghana to answer the call to be missionary to his own people in 1948. Today, celebrating its Centenary, the Church can look back on a rich harvest of many diocesan priests and religious men and women. In 1932, Bishop Oscar Morin started the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate (canonically founded in 1946). The White Sisters (Msola), acted as midwives of this wonderful gift to the Church of the North.

46 years after the arrival of the Missionaries, Fr Peter Poreku Dery was consecrated by Pope John XXIII in Rome as the first local Bishop of Wa Diocese. In 1977, he became the first Metropolitan Archbishop of the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province. Today all 5 dioceses of the North of Ghana (including Damongo and Yendi) are shepherded by Ghanaian Bishops.

Bishop Lukas Abadamloora, of Navrongo-Bolgatanga

Ordinaries of Tamale: Oscar Morin, MAfr (1926 - 6 Apr 1952); Gabriel Champagne, MAfr (12 Apr 1957 - 23 Jun 1972); Peter Poreku Dery (18 Nov 1974 - 26 Mar 1994); Gregory Ebolawola Kpiebaya (since 26 Mar 1994). Ordinaries of Navrongo-Bolgatanga: Oscar Morin, MAfr (26 Feb 1934 - 6 Apr 1952); Gérard Bertrand, MAfr (12 Apr 1957 - 13 Apr 1973 Resigned); Rudolph A. Akanlu (13 Apr 1973 - 14 Mar 1994); Lucas Abadamloora (since 14 Mar 1994). Ordinaries of Wa: Peter Poreku Dery (16 Mar 1960 - 18 Nov 1974); Gregory Kpiebaya (18 Nov 1974 - 26 Mar 1994); Paul Bemile (since 19 Dec 1994).