August 12, 2022
Bishop Bambera, Father Shantillo and Father Clarke are currently making their way from Ghana’s capital city of Accra to Sunyani. They sent these photos along the way of the fishing industry, traffic and vendors in Cape Coast.
This morning, they also toured and offered prayers at Cape Coast Castle. That castle is one of dozens of “slave castles” built on the Gold Coast of Africa by European traders. They were used to hold slaves before they were put on ships and sold in the Americas.
One of the photos shown here is what is called the “Door of No Return” because it was the last experience many men and women had in their homeland before their final departure and for those who didn’t make it to the new world, the castle was the last place they saw on land.
Please offer a prayer today for the millions of people who languished at the hands of slavers.
Bishop Bambera Offers Greetings from Ghana
On Wednesday, August 10th, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, along with Father Gerald Shantillo, Vicar General, and Father Brian J.T. Clarke, Director of the Pontifical Missions Office for the Diocese of Scranton, embarked on a trip that would take them more than 5,000 miles from home.
The trio has travelled to Africa, participating in a pastoral visit to the Diocese of Sunyani in Ghana.
For many years, the Diocese of Sunyani has generously shared its priests with the Diocese of Scranton. Currently, there are seven priests from Ghana ministering in the parishes of northeastern and north central Pennsylvania.
“It really means a great deal for me, on behalf of the clergy and the faithful of our diocese, to go to the Diocese of Sunyani and to share with their bishop and with all of their people, our deep gratitude for their presence here. It’s a sacrifice to travel halfway around the world and to live in a land that you don’t necessarily understand and know as well as your own home,” Bishop Bambera said.
“We give thanks for all those priests from Ghana and throughout other parts of the world who are generous enough to share with us their ministry, to keep the Eucharist alive and available to all of our people,” the bishop said. “In turn, nourished by the sacrament of the Lord’s Body and Blood, each one of us can go forth and proclaim our belief in the Kingdom of God.”
Bishop Bambera, Father Shantillo and Father Clarke will be on their pastoral visit to the Diocese of Sunyani from Aug. 10-19. During the trip, Bishop Bambera is scheduled to celebrate several Masses with the faithful of the Diocese of Sunyani.