St. Paul's Catholic Seminary

St. Paul's Catholic Seminary

Insignia of Sowutuom
Motto Vas Mihi Electionis
Motto in English
 You are my Chosen Instrument
Type Regional Seminary
Established January, 1988
Affiliation Roman Catholic
Chairman Most. Rev. Charles G. Palmer-Buckle
Rector

Very Rev. Fr. Francis Arthur (Ph.D)

Vice Rector : Very Rev. Fr. Francis Lemaire
Dean Rev. Fr. Joseph Okine-Quartey (Ph.D)
Spiritual Director Fr. Albert Amakyi
Administrative staff
 8
Students 231 seminarians
Location Sowutoum-Accra,  Ghana
Campus Urban
Dean of Students Rev. Fr. Prosper Abotsi (PhD)
Colors Yellow      and Blue     
Nickname Sowutuom
Website http://stpaulscsem.com/
Data as at September 2015

St. Paul's Catholic Seminary, Sowutuom is a Roman Catholic seminary located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, Ghana. It is dedicated to the Philosophical training of seminarians for the ecclesiastical provinces of Accra,[1] Cape Coast[2] and Kumasi and is affiliated with the University of Ghana, Legon.[3] It also admits seminarians from the SMA and neighbouring countries. Since it was founded in 1988, the seminary has produced more than 500 priests.

History

Chapel of St. Paul's Catholic Seminary

The idea of setting up St. Paul’s was conceived in 1983, by the Bishops of the erstwhile Ecclesiastical Province of Cape Coast Diocese[4] comprising the then Archdiocese and the dioceses of the southern belt of Ghana. The aim was to separate the philosophy department of St. Peter's Regional Seminary, Pedu, Cape Coast from that of Theology. This was necessary as there was pressure on the facilities of St. Peter’s at the time, due to increasing numbers of seminarians. There was also the need to initiate a spiritual year programme in response to the promptings of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. The idea came to fruition when on January 15, 1988, the first batch of seminarians (48 young men) arrived to start the Spiritual Year Programme. Msgr. Rudolph Apietu, was appointed the first Rector. Msgr. Michael Obosu, became the first Spiritual Director. Rev. Sr. Charles Luanga, HDR and Rev. Sr. Alexandrina, HDR, served as matrons.To begin the philosophy programmes, Frs. Stephen Acheampong, John Martin Darko and Miachael Barima Apau joined the staff. Rev. John Martin Darko was later appointed the first Vice Rector. Frs. Augustine Abizi and Paul Bebodu commuted from Pedu as adjunct professors. Frs. Irvin Yangouru and Joseph Osei Bonsu also joined the staff from the University of Ghana. When in 1992, Msgr. Apietu’s tenure was over, Fr. Francis Abuah Quansah was appointed the 2nd Rector of the seminary. Ten years later, he was succeeded by the then vice rector, Fr. Raphael Osei Soadwah who was also succeeded in 2009 by Fr. Francis Arthur, the current Rector.

Annual activities

Benefactors' Day celebrations

In the second semester of every academic year, St. Paul's Catholic Seminary organizes the Benefactors' Day celebrations to celebrate all those who made contributions towards its growth and development. The occasion is always graced with the presence of a bishop who is a member of the Governing Council of the Seminary. Funds are also raised to support developmental projects in the seminary.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Location, St. Paul's Seminary, Accra. "St. Paul's Catholic Seminary". All Ghana Data.
  2. ↑ Formation of seminarians, Archdiocese of Cape Coast. "Vocations Office". Archdiocese of Cape Coast, Ghana.
  3. ↑ Institutional, Affiliations. "Institutional Affiliations". University of Ghana.
  4. ↑ Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast
  5. ↑ St Paul Major Seminary holds Benefactors-Day

External links

  1. ↑ IGNITUM, TODAY. "Seminary formation in Ghana and its challenges". IGNITUM TODAY.
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