His legacies still live on among Ghanaians
By Damian Avevor
Weeks after his burial within the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra, the Catholic faithful of Ghana especially Accra are still having good memories of the good works of the oldest Bishop of the World, Most Rev. Joseph Oliver Bowers (JOB), SVD. Though Bishop Bowers chalked 102 and the oldest Bishop of the world, his good works to the Church in Ghana still lingers on. The shocking news of his demise flashed out on the early hours of Tuesday, November 6, 2012 and was received with shock and disbelief by all the Bishops of Ghana, who were holding their Annual Plenary Assembly at Koforidua as well as the lay faithful of Ghana and the Vatican. Three days before his demise, the members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference visited him at his Agormanya residence on November 3, 2012.
Some of the legacies he had left behind as an illustrious Pastor are the opening of St. Peter’s Senior High School, Kwahu Nkwatia; Pope John’s Senior High and Junior Seminary, Offiduase-Koforidua, St. Paul’s Technical School, Akim Kukurantumi and St. Rose’s Senior High, Akwatia.
Among the health facilities are St. Joseph’s Hospital, Effiduase, Koforidua; St. Dominica’s Hospital, Akwatia; Holy Family Hospital, Nkawkaw and St. Martin the Porres Hospital, Odumase-Krobo as well as the Orthopaedic Training Centre at Adoagyiri Nsawam. He also founded the HDR Congregation and St. Anne’s Vocational School, both in Manya Krobo and he saw the strengthening of the Mount Mary Training College at Somanya.
In recognition of his vibrant leadership and pioneering work in Ghana, when the Diocese of St. John’s Basseterre in the West Indies was created in 1971, Bishop Bowers was appointment its first Bishop Bowers was appointment its first Bishop, becoming the Chief Pasto in Antigua, the land of his father’s birth.
In 1981, he retired from office and returned to Dominica where he lived humbly in his cottage in Mahaut. The HDR Sisters, some of whom visited him in Dominica from
time to time wanted him back in Ghana so that they could care for him in his final days and returned to Ghana in 1997. Bishop Bowers fluently speaks and reads French, German, Italian, Greek, Latin, English, Ewe, Krobo, Ga and Twi.
His burial ceremony on Friday, November 9, 2012 at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra was attended by mourners and sympathizers, who were afforded the opportunity to pay their final respects to the deceased when the body was laid in state some hours before the burial ceremony. Many Priests and Religious also attended the funeral to bid farewell to the Bishop, who had played a frontline role as the former bishop of Accra from 1953 to 1971.
All Bishops from Ghana concelebrated the Mass, presided over by Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra. Among the Prelates were Most Rev. Dominic Kodwo Andoh, Archbishop Emeritus of Accra who succeeded Bishop Bowers in 1971; Most Rev. Gregory Ebo Kpiebaya, Archbishop emeritus of Tamale and Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordji, SVD, Bishop of Donkorkrom Vicariate, who preached the homily at the burial Mass, said Bishop Bowers served the Church in Ghana as a Missionary Priest when the Diocese of Accra was still a primary evangelisation area.
He entreated the over 3,000 mourners to be grateful to God for the great work his servant has accomplished in his ministry, thanking Archbishop Emeritus Andoh and Charles Palmer-Buckle for allowing Bishop Bowers to retire in Ghana.
Present also to bid farewell to Bishop Abadamloora was Mr. John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana, who in a tribute, said the demise of Bishop Bowers was a great loss to the Catholic Church and Ghana. He also signed the Book of Condolence in memory of Bishop Bowers.
He described him as a true pastor of the Church, who extended his love of charity beyond boundaries of the Church by establishing schools and Hospitals.
The final commendation was performed by Most Rev. Francis Lodonu, Bishop of Ho while the graveside rites were performed by Archbishop Andoh, who succeeded Bishop Bowers in 1971.
There were several tributes to the memory of Bishop Bowers including the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, the Congregation for the evangelisation of peoples at the Vatican, Archbishop Kwasi Sarpong, Emeritus of Kumasi who is the only surviving Bishop who was in the Ghana Bishops Conference with Bishops Bowers, the Handmaids of Divine Redeemer and the Society of Divine Word.
Bishop Bowers was ordained Priest on January 22, 1939 in Rome at the age of 29, consecrated Bishop of Accra on April 22, 1953 by His Eminence Cardinal Francis Spellman in the United States of America (USA) at the age of 43 and later enthroned in Accra on September 23, 1953.
On January 1, 1940, Bishop Bowers arrived in Accra to take up his first missionary appointment in the then Gold Coast. Ten years later, he was sent to Rome to continue his studies, returning back to Accra in 1952 as a Lector in canon law with Licentiate. As a Bishop, he was concerned about the spiritual life of Priests and Religious in the Diocese of Accra. Also as a Bishop of Accra, he presided over the building of the Holy Spirit Cathedral where he was buried on Friday, November 9, 2012.
Born on March 28, 1910, Bishop Bowers has chalked 73 years as a Priest and 59 years as a Bishop. He retired in 1981 in the Caribbean as Bishop of St. John’s- Basseterre in Antigua and Barbuda after he had been transferred there in 1971 After completing his Secondary education at the Dominica Grammar School, young Joseph Bowers went to the United States to study for the Priesthood, joining the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), a Catholic Missionary Congregation
After his ordination in 1939, he was posted to Ghana, then known as the Gold Coast. He served as a missionary until his appointment as the first black Bishop of Accra in 1953.
In 1943, he was entrusted with the care of Krobo Area and had to trek from Accra to establish Churches and Schools at Osonson, Nsutapong, Kwaopeniase, Akruso, Akotue, Korwhere and others.
Through his prayerful encouragement, the Krobo area experienced growth and expansion, yielding in the establishment of the St. Anne’s Vocational School, St. Martin de Porres Hospital; the Mount Mary Training College and the founding of the Handmaids of Divine Redeemer (HDR) Congregation.
During his 100th birthday in 2010, Bishop Bowers appealed to Catholics to support his cherished dream-the construction of a Retreat Centre -which aims at enriching “our spiritual lives and also to commune with God in prayer” as a landmark of his centenary anniversary. “It is my wish name it after St. Lucy of Fatima if the authorities permit it because we were born the same day (28th March 1907)) and she is three years older than me.”
He commended the Divine Word Missionaries for the great zeal, saying that entrusting of the Donkorkrom Vicariate to them “is a testimony that we are doing great in our missionary work.”
This is a manifestation that my congregation is working effectively in that part of Ghana, he added.
Bishop Bowers is the son of Sheriff Montague Bowers and Mary Bowers. His father is best remembered as head teacher of the Massacre Government Primary School, and organist at the St. Ann’s Parish Church.
Throughout his life, he enjoyed good health for the most part. Even in his later years, he was usually in good health though not able to walk for the last few years.
He was also full of life even while bed ridden. His mind remained sharp until the end. He was able to remember and talk about things from the past and the present in detail.
Though confined to his room toward the end, he read a lot and knew what was happening in the country and around the world.
His achievements were recognised and honoured throughout his time as a Bishop. In 1970, the Priests and people of the Diocese of Accra organised a diocesan wide 6oth birthday celebration for him. As part of the celebration, a foundation was established to support his many works.
In 2008, the President of Dominica awarded him the Sisserou Award of Honour which is Dominica’s highest award for rendering meritorious service to the Commonwealth of Dominica.
In 2011, he was awarded one of the top awards in Ghana, COMPANION OF THE ORDER OF THE VOLTA for his devoted service to the country. Upon his golden jubilee as a Bishop in 2003, the SVD Provincial at the time, Fr. Vincent Owusu summed up much of his work by saying:
Over the past fifty years, you have ministered to the people of Ghana and the Caribbean as Priest and Bishop. It is the Lord’s own doing, a marvel in our eyes! You were called to proclaim Christ in faith, hope and love. Through your generous missionary work, many people came to know the Lord in Ghana and elsewhere.