Supply Priest

Fr Anthony Afaako CSSp (Summer Supply Priest)

Born on the 1^st of March 1977, my parents due to the economic hardships in Ghana had migrated to Nigeria to work. I am the third born of five children, having four sisters. Due to the position I occupy in the family, I often term myself as “blessed among sisters”.

I started my nursery and primary school at Offa, in Kwara State in the Western part of Nigeria.  My family later moved to what is now known as Adamawa State in the north Eastern part of Nigeria. In the year 1990, after my primary education, I sat for the entrance exams into the Saint Peter’s Minor Seminary at Yola in Adamawa State. Though it was a diocesan Minor seminary, the staff was mainly made up of the Irish De la Salle brothers and nuns. The nuns were mostly of the Infant Jesus (Saint Nicholas of Bari), Sisters of Mercy (SM) and the Franciscan Sisters of Divine Motherhood (FMDM). The Nuns were English, Irish, Australians, New Zealanders, Tongans and a few Nigerians.

Pertaining to my actual journey to the priesthood, I joined the Postulancy of the North Eastern Nigerian Province of the Spiritan Fathers/Brothers in the year 1996 in Yola, in Adamawa state in Nigeria. I was recruited by a wonderful Spiritan Priest from Chorley in our wonderful Archdiocese of Liverpool by name Fr. Harry Pass, CSSp.  The following are some of the most vital dates:

• 1997. Novitiate at Ejisu- Kumasi Ghana
• 1998: Profession of Temporary Vows at Ejisu, Ghana.
• 1998-2001: Philosophical formation at the Spiritan House of formation, Ejisu, Ghana.
• 2001-2002: Language (French) formation at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal. Officially, I joined the Ghanaian Province of the Spiritan Fathers/Brothers.
• 2002-2003: Missionary stage/Arabic formation in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
• 2003-2006: Theological formation at the Université Catholique d’Afriquecentrale, in Yaoundé, Cameroon and also a licentiate at the Institute Catholique de Paris (France)
• 2005: Perpetual Vows and Diaconate Ordination in Douala, Cameroon.
• 2006: Priestly ordination at the Holy Spirit Parish, Bantama, Kumasi- Ghana. I was initially appointed to work in the Diocese of Multan in Pakistan.
• 2007-2010: Worked in the archdiocese of Kumasi, Ghana.
• 2010-2017: Rome- Stayed at the Pontifical French College and attended Pontifical Gregorian University where I obtained a B.A in Sociology (Family Sociology), Licentiate in Sociology (Qualified Migration) and finally, a PhD in Social Sciences (Digital Sociology and Statistics)
• 2017- till- Now: A formator and also a lecturer at the Spiritan Formation/ Seminary at Ejisu-Ghana.

I first arrived in Widnes during the summer of 2011 and ever since then, I have never looked backed. Widnes has become more than a home to me and every year, I look forward to coming back home to give a helping hand.

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