The Most Reverend Alfred Agyenta, Catholic Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese in the Upper East Region, has expressed deep concern over the declining Catholic population in Ghana, based on recent census data. Delivering a homily to launch the 100th Anniversary celebration of the Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish in Bolgatanga, Bishop Agyenta raised concerns about the alarming trend revealed by the population census, indicating a significant decrease in the Catholic population over the past decade.
“Two years ago, we had a survey that was given to us by the population census of Ghana. The information that we received from them showed that the Catholic population was going down. The Catholic population was 15%. Then it came down to 13%. And just the last one, we are told that we are now 10% of the population. This is very frightening. Where are the people going? Is it really true that we are losing people? Of course, the population of Ghana is also growing,” Bishop Agyenta remarked with worry.
According to Bishop Agyenta, statistics that the Catholic church sends to Rome every year indicate growth in Africa and especially in Ghana, “But the census is telling us that we are losing people. And so, we don’t want to dismiss the information that is being given to us. But at the same time, we don’t want to panic,” he stated.
The Bishop urged parishioners to use the year-long 100th anniversary celebration as an opportunity for introspection and evaluation of the health of the church and the parish. He encouraged parish priests and staff to undertake a thorough assessment of the Catholic population within the parish and to identify strategies to address the challenges and reverse the decline.
Bishop Agyenta called upon parishioners to embrace the task of revitalizing the church and ensuring its relevance and impact in the lives of believers. He urged unity, prayer, and proactive engagement as essential steps towards addressing the challenges facing the Catholic Church in Ghana. The theme for the centenary celebration is ‘Walking together as a family of God’. Activities for the year-long celebration include seminars, prison visitation, tree planting and sanitation exercises, mass weddings, and blood donation, with a climax on 28th June 2025.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga|Ghana
