WEEK OF REMEMBRANCE: REMEMBERING ARCHBISHOP JOHN KODWO AMISSAH I’ve had three persons on my mind this week, a week of remembrance. First, my father Robert Emmanuel Kobina Adjaye, who would have been 102 years old on the 26th. Daddy left us in 2002. Second, my mother Elizabeth Asobo Ulzen Adjaye, whose funeral in 1993 started on the 26th and continued on the 27th with Memorial and Burial Services and burial. Third, my surrogate father Archbishop John Kodwo Amissah, who would have been 92 years old on the 27th. Today, I remember and celebrate my surrogate father, Archbishop John Kodwo Amissah (since I’ve remembered and celebrated my father and mother on this wall previously) In June 1957 John Kodwo Amissah became the first Ghanaian Catholic Bishop and the second African to become Bishop in the modern era. In June 1960 John Kodwo Amissah became the first Ghanaian Catholic Archbishop and the second African to become Archbishop in the modern era. Archbishop Amissah was a leading founder of SECAM (Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, the African regional Catholic group), which is why it’s headquartered in Ghana, and served as its First Counsellor from 1969-70 and then Vice-President from 1970-75. Archbishop John K. Amisssah was the Chairman of the University of Cape Coast Council for two terms from 1967 to 1974. Archbishop Amissah was one of the stars of the Second Vatican Council 1962 – 65, and for a period was roommate with another star, Bishop Karol Josef Wojtyla of Krakow, Poland, who would become Pope John Paul II in 1978. The Archbishop’s House in Cape Coast was my second home in the ‘60s, as I spent many holidays there. Daddy was away in the north so Archbishop Amissah became my second father, I his son. As his brother James Kwamena Amissah (who passed away last year) told me flatly a few years ago in respect of getting the Archbishop’s memorial foundation going, “Awu n3 ey3 niba.” I remember four events. One day in March 1974 I was in a lecture in Binghamton, New York, when the Dean’s secretary came to inform me that the Dean wanted to see me. When I went to see the Dean during break he asked, “Jude, do you have an uncle who’s an Archbishop?” “Yes, Dean Cann,” I answered. “Wait, he’s going to call you soon.” He was in Louisiana and had called. Archbishop Amissah called a few minutes later. “Eh, St. Jude, wu hu yea?” (His pet name for me was St. Jude.) “Wu na Asobo si okyiawu. …” In July 1976 Archbishop Amissah visited Albany, New York. I had dinner with him and his Rome university classmate and friend Monsignor O’Malley (who predeceased him). Two days later Archbishop Amissah came to my host mother Alice M. Dollard’s for dinner. Ms. Dollard (who passed away in 2005) was so excited she’d told relations and friends that an Archbishop was coming for dinner in her home! For days thereafter Ms. Dollard kept remarking about how warmly friendly and jovial Archbishop Amissah was. In the evening of September 22, 1991 I got a call from Fr. Dominic Kofi Amissah (no relation) who was in Albany. “Jude, wu papa awu oo!” he announced. I wondered if it was a car accident, and Kofi said yes. But Archbishop wasn’t driving himself. If he had been driving himself … I always feared he might die in a car accident because of the fast Italian way that he drove in Ghana. I remembered a number of occasions he would ask me to get into the car with him and he would drive fast from Cape Vars junction to Yamoransa junction. “Y3 rebo gya,” “Y3 regyi mframa,” he would say as he sped on! Some friends – Emmanuel Asamoah, Kweku Aggrey, Kweku Ampah, etc. – and I decided to have a memorial service for Archbishop Amissah in Washington, DC. I called his friend Cardinal John Joseph O’Connor of New York City to be the principal celebrant. Cardinal O’Connor said he couldn’t make it. I got in touch with Cardinal James Hickey of Washington, DC, and he recommended Auxiliary Bishop Leonard James Olivier to be the principal celebrant. All along Bishop Olivier didn’t let on that he knew Archbishop Amissah personally. But he insisted he knew what to say in the Homily. Indeed he did – during the Homily at the memorial service in the National Cathedral he surprised us by telling how Archbishop Amissah would flip his shoes off and his practical jokes and so on! My brother Joseph and I had a big laugh about that surprise after the mass. I just found out today that Bishop Olivier died on the 19th. May he rest in peace. Archbishop John Kodwo Amissah, the Catholic Church of Ghana which you played the leading role in developing especially when you served as the President of the Bishop’s Conference for so long, from 1960 to 1973, is still going strong. I’m sure you’ve heard that Peter Kodwo Turkson, whom you picked for leadership and greatness, succeeded you as Archbishop of Cape Coast and has been a Cardinal since 2002. Yes, Peter got his red hat, when you were made to miss getting it several times. I’m sure you’ve also heard that Matthias Kobina Nketiah, one of your favourites, succeeded Peter Kodwo Turkson as Archbishop. We miss you. The church misses you and is grateful for your pioneering leadership. I miss you.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 10:48:08 +0000