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Information reaching the executive office of the RECOWA-CERAO Director of Communications and media from the Correspondent of RECOWACERAO NEWS AGENCY, RECONA based in Accra, the commercial capital of Ghana has it that the people of this country, especially the Laity and Clergy of the Catholic Church have extolled that Outgoing Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana Lauded for his “exemplary service, unwavering faith”.  Members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) particularly have paid tribute to Archbishop Henryk Mieczysław Jagodziński, the outgoing Apostolic Nuncio in the West African nation, for his dedication and unwavering faith.

In his speech during a farewell Mass at the Christ the King Parish of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, GCBC President, Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi of Ghana’s Catholic Diocese of Sunyani said Archbishop Jagodziński “exemplified unwavering dedication, profound wisdom, and a steadfast commitment to fostering unity and understanding within our Church and beyond.”

“As we express our deepest gratitude for his service among us, we also extend our heartfelt prayers and best wishes as he embarks on a new chapter of his mission,” Bishop Gyamfi said Tuesday, July 2.

He thanked Archbishop Jagodziński for his “exemplary service, unwavering faith, and profound impact” on the lives of the people of God in Ghana.

“His Excellency has been a beacon of grace and compassion, tirelessly working to strengthen the bonds between the Holy See and our local Church communities,” Bishop Gyamfi said.

He noted that the outgoing nuncio’s “diplomatic finesse, coupled with his deep spiritual insight, has guided us through both challenges and triumphs, always with a vision of peace and fraternity.”

He said under the nuncio’s leadership, the Catholic Church in Ghana had witnessed remarkable strides in dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect among different religious and societal groups.

The nuncio’s efforts had not only enriched Ghana’s ecclesiastical landscape but had also touched the lives of countless individuals, uplifting them in faith and hope, the GCBC President said, adding, “Beyond his official duties, His Excellency has endeared himself to all who have had the privilege to know him.”

According to Bishop Gyamfi, the Outgoing Nuncio’s warmth, humility, and genuine care for every person he met had left an indelible mark on the people’s hearts. “Whether in formal settings or informal gatherings, he has radiated the love of Christ, embodying the spirit of servant leadership in its truest form,” the bishop said.

“May God bless you abundantly with his choicest graces in all your future endeavors, and may His peace accompany you always,” the President of the Catholic Bishops in Ghana implored.

In his homily during the July 2 event, Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson said, “There is always a good reason to give thanks to God and the farewell Eucharistic celebration for the Nuncio is an indication of the faith of the Church and the people of God.”

Cardinal Turkson said, “Faith is the reaction of God’s people, saying, to have faith is to develop the act of Christ and attachment to the Lord.”

He expressed joy that the Nuncio had been trustworthy in his work, praying that the outgoing representative of the Holy Father in Ghana would continue to find the Church trustworthy in South Africa.

The Polish-born diplomat, who is set to represent the Holy Father in South Africa and Lesotho following his April 16 appointment was born in January 1969 and was ordained a Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Kielce in the Central European country in June 1995.

He entered the Holy See diplomatic service in 2001 and has since served in the Pontifical Representations in Belarus, Croatia, and India as well as the Vatican’s Section for Relations with States in the Secretariat of State.

Assigned the Titular See Limosano at his Episcopal Consecration in July 2020, the Polish Vatican diplomat, who started his service as Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana following his appointment in May 2020 had also served as First Counsellor in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.

In his speech during the July 2 event, Archbishop Jagodziński expressed gratitude to the Bishops in Ghana and the people of God in the country for accepting him during his “duty tour of Ghana.”

He said Ghana was his home because he was well received wherever he visited as the Nuncio.

In South Africa and Lesotho, Archbishop Jagodziński succeeds Archbishop Peter Bryan Wells who was transferred to the Vatican Diplomatic Mission in Thailand and Cambodia in February 2023.

Meanwhile, on June 29, Pope Francis appointed Mons. Julien Kaboré, a native of Burkina Faso, as the new Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana.

Rev. Fr. George Nwachukwu
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