The Catholic Diocese of Sunyani, joined by the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kumasi, Goaso, Techiman, Konongo-Mampong, and the Diocese of Bondoukou (La Côte D’Ivoire), gathered to celebrate a solemn Requiem Mass in honor of the late Monsignor Joseph Marfo Gyimah.
The Mass, held at Christ the King Cathedral, saw the building filled to capacity with religious sisters, brothers, seminarians, and the lay faithful, all arriving to pay their final respects to a man described as a “wise and faithful steward.”
The Mass was led by Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference. He was joined by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, Most Rev. Gabriel Yaw Anokye; Most Rev. Peter Kwaku Atuahene of Goaso; Most Rev. John Yaw Afuakwa of Obuasi; Most Rev. John Opoku-Agyemang of Konongo-Mampong; and the Vicar Generals of Goaso and Techiman.
A sea of priests from Sunyani, Techiman, Cape Coast, Kumasi, Obuasi, and Bondoukou stood in solidarity, paying tribute to a priest whose life was defined by extreme simplicity and a steadfast commitment to the Church’s Magisterium.
In a moving and personal homily, Bishop Matthew Gyamfi reflected on the necessity of being a faithful steward in whatever assignment God provides. Quoting Matthew 22:37, he reminded the congregation: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Bishop Gyamfi noted that Msgr. Gyimah lived this commandment to its fullest. “We can confidently say we have attended the Requiem Mass of a faithful and selfless servant,” the Bishop remarked. He emphasized that whether one is a priest, lawyer, teacher, or laborer, God’s primary requirement is fidelity.
Sharing a unique perspective, the Bishop revealed that he once served as a curate under Msgr. Gyimah and later became his superior. “I know him very well,” he said, highlighting the Monsignor’s zeal, honesty, and legendary obedience.
Msgr. Gyimah was famously known as a “Man of the Cassock,” wearing it both as daily attire and as his “working gear.” His dedication was so intense that he reportedly never took a holiday or a day off. Even during a four-year sabbatical in the United States, his heart remained with his flock, and he requested to return early, ultimately coming back after two years.
While Bishop Gyamfi acknowledged the Monsignor’s occasional “righteous anger” when things were not done correctly, he emphasized that this stemmed from a deep desire for perfection in God’s work.
Msgr. Gyimah’s passing served as the ultimate testament to his devotion. At the age of 79, he breathed his last at the gate of Christ the King Cathedral, still in his car and wearing his cassock, having just returned from celebrating Holy Mass. Like Christ on the cross, he commended his spirit to the Father while still in his “working gear.”
The Diocese of Sunyani mourns the loss of what many describe as one of its “finest priests” but finds hope in the enduring legacy of sacrifice and service he leaves behind.
Credit: DEPSOCOM, Sunyani.
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