Biography of Msgr. Anthony Narh Asare

APPOINTMENT AS AUXILIARY BISHOP

On Tuesday, 14th February, 2023, the feast of the two saintly brothers, St. Cyril and St. Methodius, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, the Most Rev. Henryk M. Jagodzinski, announced at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka, that the Holy Father, Pope Francis, had appointed two Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Accra. The appointees were Rev. Fr. John Kobina Louis and Rev. Fr. Anthony Narh Asare. The latter has been assigned the Titular See of Castelloin Numidia, an ancient Diocese which was located in present-day Algeria.

BIRTH AND BAPTISM

Msgr. Anthony Narh is the fifth born of eight children to Mr. Lawrence Ebenezer Asare-Kwao and Mrs. Helen Teiko Asare-Kwao Kwao (née, Opata; deceased on Friday, 7th August 2020). He was born on 29th December, 1965 at the St. Martin de Porres Clinic at Agormanya OdumaseKrobo in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

He was baptised by Rev. Fr. G. Wilson, SVD on 16th January 1966 at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church at Agormanya.

BASIC EDUCATION, FIRST COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION

Msgr. Asare began his primary education at the Tema Community 2 No. 4 Basic School and proceeded to the Star Kindergarten and Primary School at Tema Community 5. His family worshipped at the Good Shepherd Parish, Tema Community 2 where he received his first Holy Communion on 8th April, 1973 in the hands of Rev. Fr. H. Janssen, SVD. He received the Sacrament of Confirmation on 5th May, 1973 administered by then Rt. Rev. Dominic KodwoAndoh, Bishop of Accra Diocese.

SECONDARY EDUCATION

He had his secondary education at the Tema Secondary School from1978 to 1983 where he successfully obtained his GCE O’ level and his A’ level at the Labone Secondary School in Accra from 1983 to 1985.

THE CALL

His call to the Ministry came in diverse ways. First as a National Service Teacher, then as an Insurance Officer working with the Marketing Department of the Great African Insurance Company. He was also dealing with Catechumens as a part-time Catechist with the Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) in the Parish on various apostolates and finally through interactions with young energetic Priests who worked in the Parish.

SEMINARY FORMATION

He began his Seminary formation at the Sowutuom Philosophy Campus in September 1988. He joined the second batch of pioneers to begin the Spirituality programme introduced to Seminary formation in Ghana. Having spent a year of Spirituality formation and two years of philosophical training, he proceeded to the St. Peter’s Seminary in Pedu, Cape Coast in 1991 to continue his four-year Theological education. In 1993, he obtained his Diploma in Theology at the University of Ghana, Legon.

He was ordained a Priest on 22nd July, 1995 for the Clergy of Accra by Archbishop Dominic Kodwo Andoh at the St. Joseph the Worker Parish at Tema Community 8.

PASTORAL MINISTRY

As part of his pastoral works and experiences, from 1995 to 1997, he was the Assistant Priest of Martyrs of Uganda Catholic Church at Mambrobi; Priest-in-charge of Sacred Heart Parish at Derby Avenue from 1997 to 1999; Priest-in-charge of St. Peter’s Parish, Osu from 1999 to 2004 and Priest-in-charge of St. Maroun Ghanaian Community, now St. James the Elder Catholic Church, Osu, Accra from 2004 to 2008.

He was the Parish Chaplain of St. Andrews Catholic Church, Westland Row, Dublin in Ireland from 2008 to 2012; Pastoral Assistant at the Mary Mother of Good Counsel, Airports West in 2013; Parish Priest of St. Joseph the Worker Parish at Community 8, Tema from 2013 to 2019; Parish Priest of Ss. Anne and Joachim Catholic Church and Director of Priest Personnel, Accra Archdiocese from 2019 to the date of his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop.

APOSTOLATES

Between 1995 and 1997, he was Chaplain of St. Mary’s Secondary School at Korle Gonno as well as Spiritual Director of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) Centre of Hope. From 1996 to 1997, he served as the Spiritual Director for the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy (DMMM) Catholic Press Community. Between 1997 and 1999, he was the Spiritual Director of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) Wala Hamo Project; Board Chair of the Catholic Action for Street Children (CAS) from 1997 to 2008.

ADVERTISEMENT

From 2002 to 2006, he was a member of the Board of Directors of Accra Catholic Press, Accra; 2002 to 2008, he served as the Accra Archdiocesan Financial Administrator/Director of Pontifical Mission Societies/Secretary to the Archdiocesan Development Committee; from 2013 to 2019, he was the Spiritual Director for the Missionaries of Charity Sisters, Tema; Notre Dame L’Eglise (NDE) Sisters from Togo; and the Congregation of Holy Family Sisters, Kordiabe.

He was a Part-time Lecturer at the Department of Religious Studies and Church Administration at the Catholic Institute of Business and Technology (CIBT), Accra from 2019 to2021 while from 2018 to 2021, he served as a member of the Governing Council of CIBT.

From 2022 to the date of his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop, he was a member Governing Board of the Christ the King International School, Cantonments.

POST-SEMINARY STUDIES

In November 1995, he obtained a Certificate in Management Skills from the Price Waterhouse Associates, Human Resources Development Unit, Legon, Accra and a Certificate in Financial Management from the Management Development and Productivity Institute, Accra, Ghana in 2002.

In same 2002, he obtained Certificates in Financial Accounting, Budgeting Control, Financial Accounting for non-finance Managers, Office Management and Administration, Effective Administrative Skills and Internal Auditing, all from the Management Development and Productivity Institute, Accra, Ghana.

He holds Degrees and Certificates including, MA in Management from the Dublin City University (DCU) in Ireland from 2008 to 2009; MA in Leadership and Pastoral Care from DCU from 2009 to 2010; Masters in Supervisory Practice (MASP) at DCU from 2010 to 2012.

In 2012, he obtained Certificates in Reflective Ministry, Project Management and Public Relations at the All Hallows’ University, Ireland.

CONCLUSION

Anthony chose for his priestly motto excerpts of an ancient Christian hymn namely “A charge to keep I have, a God to Glorify and to serve the present age my calling to fulfill”. This has been his guiding principle in ministry. He relies on the Holy Spirit informed by the message of the Cross. He also, with the help of the maternal intercession of Our Mother Mary and the cooperation of the people of God in the Archdiocese of Accra, the fraternity of the Presbyterium, the assistance of his twin Auxiliary Bishop Louis, will collaborate with our Chief Shepherd Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie CSSp in making Accra Archdiocese a family of God.