Kindly tell us about your childhood and upbringing.
I was born on 26th June 1981 at Cantonment, raised in Nima, and grew up in Dansoman and Darkuman. I was not born a Catholic.
I grew up to become a catholic. I joined the church when I sent an Auntie to St. Stephen Catholic Church, Darkuman. She came for a visit but didn’t know where the Catholic Church was located.
When we sent her to church, I was given toffee and I got attracted to the Catholic church. I later found out that my mates in school were mass servers there so that made me stay. I was later baptised in 1993 and confirmed in 2000.
What inspired you to join the priesthood and at what point did you decide that this is what God wants you to do?
I got the desire to join the priesthood when I joined the mass servers. So, I was nurturing that desire till I got to Secondary School.
I chose Pope John because of the priesthood but I didn’t get admission. I was later taken to St. Margaret Mary Senior Secondary school in Dansoman. It was there I met the vocations Director and finally went to Amisano, then Sowutuom and finally Pedu.
I must thank Sarah Honya for asking me to go to the vocations rally for the first time. I must say God knows why I didn’t get Pope John but have to settle for St. Margaret Mary. God has plans for each of us all. He knows why we don’t often get what we want in life.
But human as we are, we won’t understand it until much later. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts.
After your ordination, what were your immediate pastoral assignments?
I was ordained on the 14th of August 2010 and was assigned to the first Catholic Church in Accra, Sacred Heart Parish. I worked there for only two years. Whiles, there I was chaplain to the Catholic Law Students and Sacred Heart Technical School.
Can you tell us about your decision to work in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom instead of your urban Archdiocese, the Archdiocese of Accra?
I was invited by Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordji, SVD to help raise funds for the Vicariate at the Christ the King Catholic Church on 12th March 2012.
After that event that night, I dreamt of working on the Vicariate. So, I went to discuss with then Vicar General Very Rev Mgsr Francis Adoboli who finally asked me to go and discuss with Archbishop Buckle.
Surprisingly Archbishop Buckle instantly agreed and gave me a date to go without first discussing with his Consulters. He gave a “blank cheque appointment” “go and return anytime you wish” and since then I have been there.
How does the experience of working in a rural area differ from working in an urban area?
Very different in all spheres and forms. From pastoral ministry to way of life. But very unique and dynamic. Rural ministry is predominantly primary evangelization urban is secondary evangelization. You have predominantly poor simple people struggling with traditional cultural practices who want to know Christ.
You are everything for them as priest. You are all-knowing and a perfect personality for them. You’re a model for them. You’re their joy. To see you is to see God. I have carried people to and from hospital and mortuary. My pickup is a multi purpose vehicle.
What are some of the challenges you face working in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, and how do you overcome them?
When there is something to be done but you’re helpless. No money, no connection, no structure, no personnel, no resources, poor road network, poor Internet connectivity. Charlie very stressful and sometimes disappointing but you can’t give up like that or else, asem aba.
How have the people in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom welcomed you and your ministry?
God sent. Very happy to have and they hold me in high esteem. I am a brand. I have dozens of children named after me. Some bearing my full name Stephen Kofi Sakpaku or Stephanie Afia Sakpaku
Can you tell us about a particularly memorable experience you have had while working in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom?
When one of the chiefs of one of my outstations came to check on me and thank me for sleeping in the village during Easter Triduum in the village.
The trips for school children to come and visit Accra. The highest number I brought to Accra was 100. I organised the same for some of the adults. Coming to Accra is a dream for some people but if you’re in Accra you won’t cherish it.
How do you balance your work as a priest with your personal life, particularly in a rural area where there may be fewer resources and social activities?
Though we do say personal life, I don’t think a priest has a personal life. You live your life for God and your people. You’re always thinking of how to grow and develop the faith of your church. As they see you pray, they are encouraged to pray. As they see you work, they are motivated to work. So, your life somehow become their lives.
On issue of resources to enhance my ministry in Afram Plains, I must say God provided bountifully through friends in Mary Mother of Good Counsel Church and School Airport West, and Mansuonkom Group from Tema Com. 1.
There were some support from Margaret Mary, Dansoman, St. Joseph the Worker Com 2, Good Shepherd Com 8, All Saints Com 11, Corpus Christi Sakumono, Christ the King, Holy Family Mataheko, St. John the Baptist Ordorkor, Prince of Peace Kwashiman, St. Dominic Taifa, St. Monica, Olebu, St. Kizito Nima, St. Maurice La, St. Raphael, Lashibi as well as Marian Global Concern for Women and Children at the Nunciature among others. God bless these individuals.
What do you hope to achieve through your ministry in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom?
To inspire many especially children or young people to achieve better that I have.
How do you see the Catholic Church evolving in Ghana, and what role do you see yourself playing in that evolution?
Culture and society is dynamic so also the church as a group or society is dynamic. Hence, the church can’t remain as it was in the beginning. There are bound to be changes some have started and others will follow. People with disabilities were not ordained as priests but that narrative has changed.
We have priests ministering to deaf and dumb. We have priests studying law to the extent we have a priest as a judge.
Many are entering the security services. Just waiting for one to join fire service. Some pharmacists architects a whole lot. There is more involvement of lay in pastoral ministry, more crusades etc. Hence, the church is changing in many ways in the country.
But we can do more especially our media engagements to enhance the evangelization drive. I have been active since ordination. This is my 13th year as a priest I think I have not done badly at all. So, I have been playing key roles and would continue to do more.
What advice would you give to young people considering a vocation in the Catholic Church, particularly those who may be unsure about their calling?
Borrowing the words of St. John Paul II, they should be afraid. God takes care of His people. They should have the desire, nurture desire, prepare and work towards the desire and leave the rest for God.
So also is the married life. Many young people are not preparing themselves for marriage.
They want marriage to come on a silver platter it won’t come. People are looking for ideal people to marrying but are failing to make themselves Ideal marriageable persons. Everyone one has a taste for good and quality things. No one shouldn’t think of coming to add up to the number.
We have enough of wahala and shakara priests, religious men and women and married persons. Let’s manage them like that. Let’s work towards ministering irrespective of where we find ourselves. Whatever work we desire to do we should do it for the glory of God.
Can you share with us a Bible verse or spiritual passage that has been particularly meaningful to you in your ministry?
The famous Psalm 23 the Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I shall want. I always reverse it the Lord is my shepherd “there are a lot that I want”. This has been a powerful passage for me when I am looking for funding for ministry. Soliciting for funds in the rural areas is not easy.
Some have but doubt your credibility, some don’t doubt your ability but do not have to support, some don’t have but know those who have but find it difficult to link you up nsem pii.
I have been looking for some two influential people who could build classrooms for us for years but the one to connect me ayeka.
I also believe in the amazing grace that is keeping and leading us on in whatever we do.
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