Papal Envoy in Ghana for triple jubilee celebration

Accra, Ghana – His Eminence Wilfrid Fox Cardinal Napier, O.F.M., Archbishop Emeritus of Durban, has arrived in Accra as the Special Envoy of the Holy Father for the Triple Jubilee Celebration marking seventy-five years since the creation of the Archdiocese of Cape Coast and the Dioceses of Accra, Keta, Kumasi and Tamale.

The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, appointed Cardinal Napier on 23 August 2025 to represent him at the landmark event scheduled to take place in Cape Coast on Saturday, 25 October 2025. In his letter of appointment, the Pope wrote, “Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power.” (Psalm 145:10–11)

He reflected that “these ecclesial communities in Africa are happily marking the seventy-fifth year since the day when Our Predecessor of happy memory, Pius XII, established them and other jurisdictions—after, as the historical records attest, the Catholic faith had experienced remarkable growth in those lands, thanks to the tireless and sometimes heroic work of missionaries of the Word of God, as well as through the increasing zeal and diligent labours of the native clergy.”

The Pope described Cardinal Napier as “a devoted shepherd, endowed with piety, wisdom, and pastoral zeal” and instructed him to “exhort all participants in the event—through prayer, reflection, and consideration of pastoral needs—to renew their strength and enthusiasm, showing ever greater love for Christ and His Gospel, and to burn with zeal for the faith in their daily lives.”

The Papal Envoy was warmly received by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, H.E Julian Kabore, together with the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi and Auxiliary Bishop of Accra, Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare, among others.

Bishop Gyamfi noted that the Church in Ghana is happy to receive the Cardinal and to celebrate with him. “Your Eminence, on behalf of the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Jean Kabore, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, on my behalf as their President and on behalf of our galant lay men and women and the Religious, I would like to welcome you to Ghana and to the Catholic Church in Ghana. When we heard that the Holy Father has delegated you to come and celebrate with us, our Joy was complete. You are most welcome and we wish you a very happy stay and a very successful celebration,” he said.

In his response, Cardinal Napier shared how his appointment came about, saying, “I am here because of my friend, Cardinal Peter Turkson. He approached me while we had a meeting in Rome and said listen there is a celebration going on in Ghana. They want me to be the main man but I can’t. I am from there and then he said. Would you mind if I propose your name? And I said yes, I will go. I thought that was going to be the end of it but then the confirmation came that I was appointed the envoy of the Holy Father.”

Looking forward to the historic event, the Papal Envoy added that, “I am expecting to see a very lively celebration. I am sure the laity, clergy and religious, everyone is going to be very happy to be marking this landmark triple jubilee. So that’s a wonderful occasion, I think.”

Cardinal Napier is expected to preside over the Jubilee Mass and deliver the Holy Father’s message of blessing to the faithful during the celebration in Cape Coast.