Archbishop Sarpong Visits Chicago

August 16, 2008,Chicago, IL: Ever since the Ghanaian Community in Chicago found the need to have a church to address its spiritual needs and had the first inaugural service on August 8 1988 at the Rockefeller Chapel, about 16 Ghanaian Churches have sprung up here with the latest being the Ghanaian Catholic Community Church.

Ghanaian Catholic Church of Chicago has a standing choir, a Resident Pastor and about 150 active members and growing.The community is on the path to spiritual and numerical growth. The young community was privileged and honored with the visit of the Ghanaian Cardinal, Peter Kwadwo Appiah Turkson on Sunday, August 10, 2008 when he was in Chicago for a church convention for African priests and Nuns in the US.

The community is again blessed to host The Most Reverend Peter Kwasi Sarpong, D.D. Archbishop Emeritus of Kumasi-Ghana, one of the luminaries of the Catholic Church in Africa. The 75 year old Archbishop visits Chicago from Friday, August 22-26. From Chicago the Archbishop continues his visits to Texas, New York, and Rome before flying back home to Ghana. Archbishop Sarpong arrives at the Midway Airport on August 22 2008 and will meet with The Ghanaian Community leaders and invited guests at 357 West Erie Street, Samuel Akainya’s Art Gallery from from 7:00pm-9:00pm (Friday, August 22).He is expected to socialize with members of the Ghanaian Catholic Community on Saturday, August 23 from 5:00pm-7:00pm. at the St. Elizabeth Parish, 4100 S Michigan Avenue. A Mass service will be held in honor of The Most Reverend Peter Kwasi Sarpong on Sunday August 24 at the St. Elizabeth Parish.

The Mass is from 1:00pm-3:00pm and a reception follows immediately from 3:00pm-5:00pm at the Saint Elizabeth Parish Hall.

Archbishop Sarpong has traveled extensively to all continents of the of the World; lectured widely on various topics, notably, African Theology, African Sociology, Justice and Peace; and others. Internationally he is known for his strong stand for justice, peace and truth; his challenging ideas about Africanizing the liturgy of the Catholic Church. He has won many awards in Ghana and internationally.

Archbishop Sarpong has led on several Nation Building projects to help in the socio-economic, educational, health and religious sectors of the country, e.g. He has founded six secondary schools, one technical school, six vocational schools, one hospital, one seminary, one novitiate and seven rural health clinics, one communal farm, encouraged the establishment of co-operative credit union everywhere in his Archdiocese. He has planned and partially implemented the training of skilled personnel, particularly for rural developments and youth leadership, both within and outside Ghana. He has a program for indigent children especially orphans and refugees. He played host to Pope John Paul II of blessed memory on the 9th of May, 1980. Archbishop Sarpong founded the Friends of the Disabled in the Year of the Disabled, 1981, to care for people with mental illness; was instrumental in bringing the Cheshire Home to Kumasi for the rehabilitation of mentally deranged people who have been cured. He was responsible for the New Life Home, run by the Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity Sisters, which takes in abandoned children, orphans, dying adults and otherwise rejected people. He is very much deep in the project of Street Children.

For more than 20 years, he has had an education fund, which he uses to establish schools and assist needy children who otherwise cannot go to school; sick children and children without clothes receive his help. He cares for poor people who flock to his house regularly for financial assistance to pay hospital bills, and other needs. He has adopted many children from villages and sponsors them through school; sometimes from kindergarten to the university level.

For more information on the Archbishop's visit, please, contact the following:

1. Fr Philip Mensah, Resident Pastor -773-240-9607

2. Dr George Assibey Mensah, Catholic Community President-219-789-0900

3. Nana Akawsi Appiah, Planning Committee Chairman- 773-407-9400