His Holiness, Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Msgr. John Baptist Attakruh as bishop-elect of the Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi.
The news was released on Thursday, 24th June at the Star of the Sea Cathedral by Rev. Msgr. Maher Chammas, Charge d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in Ghana.
Brief Information about Rev Fr. John Attakruh
Rev. Fr. John Baptist ATTAKRUH was born on 13th October I 957 at Juabo in the Amenfi Central District of the Western Region in Ghana. Among five children, he is the first child of Mr.·Joseph Benjamin Attakruh and Mrs. Theresa Arna Attakruh , who are both deceased.
Rev. Fr. Attakruh had his elementary education at Aboso from I 963 to 1972 and entered St. Teresa’s Minor Seminary at Elmina in the Central Region of Ghana for his secondary education from I 972-1979. He joined the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) of the New Work Province and had his novitiate formation in Benin City, Nigeria from I 980-1982. He proceeded to lnstitut de Philosphie Saint Pierre Canisius in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo for his studies in Philosophy from I 982 to 1985. After his philosophical studies he came back to Ghana and undertook his studies in Theology at St. Peter’s Regional Seminary in Cape Coast as a seminarian of the Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi. He obtained a Diploma in Theology from the University of Ghana, Legon in 1987.
Rev. Fr. Attakruh was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi on 30th July 1989. His first appointment was to Immaculate Conception Parish as Assistant Priest from 1989 to 1991. He was then appointed as Vice Rector of St. Mary ‘s Minor Seminary in Apowa and at the same time, he was a tutor and Chaplain at St. Mary ‘s Boys’ Secondary School and Director of Vocations of the Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi. From 1992 to 1995 he studied at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of St. Anselm in Rome where he obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Liturgy. Upon his return to Ghana, he was appointed as Director of St. Kizito Pastoral and Catechetical Center at Apowa and Director of Sacred Liturgy of the Diocese of Sekondi Takoradi from 1996 to 1998. From I 998 to 2004, he was appointed formator and lecturer at St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Cape Coast, where he taught Sacred Liturgy and Sacramental Theology.
