PARISH DATA
St. Anthony Catholic Church is a parish located at Akwatia in the Denkyembour District. It is on the main road that leads to Akwatia Palace. The parish has 14 outstations. Some of which are under Denkyembour District – Akwatia – while others are under West Akyem Municipality – Asamankese.

The Parish has 23 catechists in active service.

PRIESTS IN THE PARISH
Akwatia has two Priests who steer the affairs of the Parish. They are Rev. Fr. Samuel Parkoo – the Parish Priest and Rev. Fr. Michael A. Numekevor Jnr – the Parochial Vicar and Chaplain of St. Rose’s Senior High School (SHS).

There are two other Priests; Very Rev. Fr. Paul Abankwah and Rev. Fr. PhilipEkow Taylor; who are working at St. Dominic Hospital as Financial Controller and Chaplain respectively.

MASS SCHEDULE
Sunday Masses
There is only one Mass at the main station which is at 9:00 AM. Mass at St. Rose’s SHS is at 6:45 AM.

Weekday Masses
Morning Mass – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – at 600 AM.
Evening Mass – Mondays at 7:00pm
Youth mass – Thursdays at 7:00pm

Baptism, Wedding and Funeral Masses are by appointment.

PRIESTS AND SECRETARY’SOFFICE HOURS
Tuesday to Friday –900 AM – 1230; 400 – 600 PM
Saturday – 900 AM – 1230PM

CATECHIST OFFICE HOURS
Monday to Friday – 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Saturday – 700 AM – 900 AM; 400 PM – 600 PM

A SHORT HISTORY
Catholic worship was first introduced to Akwatia by two Togolese nationals – Messrs. Sylvester Thommy, a Gold Smith, and Kwabena Taylor in the middle of 1925.
A raffia shed was erected near OkyeameKwadjoDonkor’s house for worship. Having worshiped in the said make-shift shed for about one and a half years, the early worshipers moved to Yaakore, the present day site of Mr. Eyera’s store. The worship was initially conducted in Ewe, and it consisted of the recitation of the Holy Rosary.

After some years, the indigenous people of Akwatia got attracted and joined the church. A few of the converts were OpaninKwabena Appiah, Mr. James KwasiSaah (Op. Nyarko’s father), Peter Adomako, Kwasi Nkrumah, Francis Akyeampong and his wife.

As the number of local members of the church grew, a Twi-speaking person was invited to lead in the worship.

In 1929, the members of the church made an appeal to the then General Manager of Consolidated African Selection Trust (C.A.S.T.) by name Mr. Walker for a parcel of land for a church building. Subsequently, the plot of land at the then residence of catechist Hayfron Benjamin was released to the Catholic Church.

The present Parish Hall was constructed in 1948, blessed and dedicated in 1952 by Archbishop W.T. Poter.

The new church edifice was initiated by Rev. Fr. Lobianco and built by Rev. Fr. Frederick Hahn, the foundation stone was laid by Barima Kwame Boateng II the then Akwatiahene and blessed by the Most Rev. Bishop J. O. Bowers – the then Bishop of Accra Diocese – on 14th July 1968.

In the year;

1930 – The first baptism of 48 candidates was performed by Rev. Fr. Wells from Cape Coast.

1932 – The first Holy Mass in Latin by Rev. Fr. J. Lemmens.

1934 – 14 candidates were confirmed by Bishop Thomas W. Porter.

1950 – St. Anthony Catholic Primary School started

1960 – Rev. Fr. Lobianco was the first residence Parish Priest. In that same year St. Dominic Hospital was established

1965 – St. Rose’s Teacher Training College was opened. In 1969, it was converted into a Secondary School and now a Senior High School.

1992 – Rev. Fr. Sylvester Agyapong was appointed to Akwatia. He was the first Ghanaian Parish Priest.

1996 – Mass wedding officiated by Bishop Charles Palmer Buckle at Apinamang

1997 – Rev. Fr. Alex Bobby-Benson came to work in the Parish; the second Ghanaian Parish Priest.

THE PARISH AND HER OUTSTATIONS

STATION
TOWN / VILLAGE
DATE OF FOUNDATION
DATE OF FIRST BAPTISM
St. Anthony
Akwatia
1931
1931
St. Michael
Boadua
1940
1940
St. Theresa
Osenase
1942
1942
Ss. Eugene and James 
Asuboni NO. 4
1943
1943
St. Theresa
Topremang
1960
1967
St. Stephen
Apinamang
1960
1963
St. Augustine
Akanteng
1960
1962
St. Martin
Awaham
1967
1969
St. Mary
Asuboni Camp
1980
1982
St. Charles Lwanga
Kobriso
1980
1984
St. Dominic
Asuofori
1988
1993
St. Charles
Dwenase
1993
1994
St. Joseph
Otwenkwanta
 
Nyadeeyε
1993
 
Ahwiaso
2003
  
OpponKrom
 
 
POSTAL ADDRESS
St. Anthony Catholic Church
Post Office Box 58
Akwatia
Eastern Region

E-MAIL
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.