Francis Anani Kofi Lodonu (born 19 November 1937) is a

Ghanaian Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

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. He was the bishop of

Roman Catholic Diocese of Ho The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ho ( la, Hoën(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Ho in the Ecclesiastical province of Accra in Ghana. History * December 19, 1994: Established as Diocese of Ho from Diocese of Keta–Ho Bishops * Bishops o ...

until his retirement in 2015.

Early life

Lodonu grew up at Gbi Atabu, three kilometers from Hohoe. He attended elementary school at Gbi-Atabu Roman Catholic School from 1944 to 1947. He attended the Roman Catholic Boys School at Gbi Bla. From 1950-1953 he attended the R.C Boys Middle School at Gbi Bla. Lodonu was awarded a prize for Religious Knowledge in the Keta Diocesan Middle Schools Examination in 1953. He gained second cycle education at the prestigious

Bishop Herman College Bishop Herman College, sometimes abbreviated to BIHECO, is a boys-only second-cycle institution located at Kpando in the Volta Region of Ghana. History Bishop Herman College was the first Catholic boys secondary school established by the Roman ...

Kpando Kpando is a town and capital of Kpando Municipal District in the northern Volta Region of Ghana. It is near the north eastern arm of Lake Volta and the Togo border. Kpando is the fifty-fourth most populous place in Ghana, in terms of population, ...

in the

Volta Region Volta Region (or Volta) is one of Ghana's sixteen administrative regions, with Ho designated as its capital. It is located west of Republic of Togo and to the east of Lake Volta. Divided into 25 administrative districts, the region is multi-et ...

from 1954 to 1957. He attended St. Peter's Regional Seminary,

Cape Coast Cape Coast is a city, fishing port, and the capital of Cape Coast Metropolitan District and Central Region of Ghana. It is one of the country's most historic cities, a World Heritage Site, home to the Cape Coast Castle, with the Gulf of Guinea ...

from 1958 to 1964 where he studied Philosophy and Theology. Lodonu was ordained on 18 May 1964 at Gbi Atabu by Bishop Anthony Konings who had baptized him in December, 1937. After his ordination to the Priesthood, Lodonu was appointed Assistant Parish Priest at Ho Sacred Heart Church. He studied at the University College of Cork,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

from September 1965 to September 1968 where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) General Degree in Geography, Sociology and History. His Bishop chose the subjects for him to study. He instructed him to study these subjects in order to teach them to others. He also studied Latin.

Appointments

1968 – 1970 – Assistant Headmaster and chaplain at St. Paul Secondary School, Viepe-Aflao (Denu). 1970 – 1972 – Vice Rector and Rector of St. Mary’s Minor Seminary, Lolobi and Vicar General of Keta Diocese. 1972 – 1973 – Rector and Headmaster of St. Mary’s Seminary Secondary School and the Vicar General of the Diocese. 1970 – 1973 – Lodonu taught Latin in Form I, Geography, Ewe and Bible Knowledge in Form IV and V.

Episcopal ordination

Lodonu was appointed by Bishop Anthony Konings as the Vicar General of Keta Diocese in 1972. Lodonu was ordained a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

on 29 June 1973 in

St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...

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Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

. He was among ten bishops ordained in commemoration of the 10th Pontificate of

. Lodonu was thirty-five and a half years old and nine years as a priest when gained the title Bishop of the Titular See of Mascula. On 29 June 1973, Lodonu was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop by Paul VI in Rome. He was Auxiliary Bishop to the Rt. Rev. Anthony Konings the Bishop of Keta Diocese, from 1973 to 1976. On 15 August 1976, Lodonu was installed as the Diocesan Bishop of Keta-Ho in the Stadium at Ho. The Government of Col. Ignatius kutu Acheampong was present with the entire Cabinet. Col. Amevor, the Regional Minister, organized and supported the event.

Volta region

On 10 October 1976 Bishop Lodonu officially opened St. Cecilia Parish at Ho Dome. Fr. Evaristus Etorwu Amegadzi was the pioneer Parish Priest who founded the parish. On 31 May 1980, Bishop Lodonu moved his official residence from Kpando (Bishop Herman College) to Ho, the seat of the then Keta-Ho and now Ho Diocese established 19 December 1994. He was accompanied by Rev. Frs. Simon Agboso (Bursar), Sylvester Mawusi (Development officer) and Mr. Philip Odikro, (Cook) On 13 December 1984, Lodonu, then Bishop of Keta–Ho purchased and took over the management of Volta Commercial College, established in 1962 by Ofosu Appiah. On 20 March 1986 the name was changed to St. Agatha’s Commercial College. It is a coeducational Second Cycle Institution that offers a three-year programme in Secretarial, Accounting and Business Studies and a two-year Diploma programme in Accounting, Secretarial and Marketing. The Diocesan Secretariat was built in Ho and dedicated by Bishop Lodonu on 13 April 1985, in the presence of the Pro-Nuncio, Archbishop Ivan Dias. On 4 December 1993 Bishop Lodonu laid and blessed the foundation stone of Bishop Konings Social Centre at Sokode Lokoe. The Centre dedicated to St. John Baptist Vianney, the Patron Saint of Parish Priests has accommodation, conference rooms and a restaurant. In June 2004, the Bishop was appointed to negotiate peace between the

Nkonya Nkonya is a town in the Oti Region of Ghana. As a state, it consists of nine towns namely Ahenkro, Asakyiri, Betenase, Kadjebi, Ntsumuru, Ntumda, Tayi, Tepo and Wurupong. The town is known for the Nkonya Senior High School. The school is a second ...

s and the Alavanyos as a Member and Vice Chairman of the Mediation Committee. Through the efforts of the Catholic Diocesan Peace Building and Conflict Transformation Centre, the Mediation Committee received the necessary material and technical support enabling the communities of Nkonya and Alavanyo to reach a level of accommodation. This Mediation Committee is still working to bring lasting peace to the two traditional Areas. 2006 marked the 30th anniversary of the installation of the Bishop in Ho and the public declaration of Ho as the Episcopal See of Keta-Ho Diocese.

Recognition

Lodonu was awarded the

Order of the Volta The Order of the Volta is an order of merit from the Republic of Ghana. It was instituted in 1960 and is awarded to people for their outstanding service to the country.

by the Government of Ghana on 1 July 2006 for distinguishing himself in the Christian Religion.

References

Booklet, Calendar and information material commemorating th 30th Anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Ho {{DEFAULTSORT:Lodonu, Francis, AK 1937 births Living people 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ghana 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ghana Recipients of the Order of the Volta Roman Catholic bishops of Ho Roman Catholic bishops of Keta–Akatsi Bishop Herman College alumni