ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS THOMAS MENSAH GOES HOME

The mortal remains of the immediate past Archbishop Emeritus of Kumasi, Most Reverend Thomas Kwaku Mensah, has been laid to rest at the St. Peter's Cathedral Minor Basilica in Kumasi.

The Most Rev. Kwaku Mensah was one of the only two surviving former Archbishops of the Kumasi Archdiocese. 

He is also the first indigenous head of the catholic church of Kumasi since its creation in 1935 to have died.

Most Rev. Peter Akwasi Sarpong now remains the only surviving former Archbishop of Kumasi. 

HIS PROFILE

 Born on February 2, 1935 to Opanin Kwaku Mensah, a herbalist, and Obaapanin Ama Boakyewaa, both of blessed memory at Asuoho Asaamang near Kokofu in the Ashanti region, Most Rev. Emeritus Kwaku Mensah obtained a Certificate in Commercial Studies from the Benette College in the United Kingdom before gaining employment at the Ghana Railway Authority where he rose through the ranks from a Messenger/Typist, Clerical Assistant to Clerical Officer.

 He started his seminary education at age 24 at the  Preparatory Seminary at Jamasi in Ashanti and later went to the St. Theresa’s  Minor Seminary, St. Peter’s Regional Seminary and completed at the St. Maur’s School of Theology in the USA where he graduated with a Master’s degree in Divinity. 

Most Rev. Kwaku Mensah was ordained into the Catholic priesthood in June 1973 in Indianapolis, USA by the only surviving Archbishop Emeritus of Kumasi, Most Rev. Peter Kwasi Sarpong. 

The late Archbishop Emeritus Kwaku Mensah has served the Catholic Church in various capacities including been an Acting Vice President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Rector of the St. Peter’s Regional Seminary at Pedu in Cape Coast. 

He also once served as the Pontifical Chairman for Health Pastoral Care of the Vatican. Most Rev. Kwaku Mensah was the first Bishop of the Obuasi Catholic Diocese when it was created in 1995 before he became the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi in March 2008 to replace the retiring Most Rev. Peter Akwasi Sarpong.

 He finally retired as the Archbishop in May 2012 after serving for four years in that office. 

He died in April this year at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital after undergoing a brain surgery. 

It is in recognition of this that many people from all walks of life turned up to pay their last respect to him.

 His body was first laid in state at the St. Peter’s Cathedral Minor Basilica and later sent to the Jubilee Park for the final pre-burial Mass.

 In a sermon, the only surviving former Kumasi Archbishop, Most Rev. Peter Kwasi Sarpong, described the late Kwaku Mensah as dutiful, frank, honest and a disciplinarian who also shunned bad attitudes such as drunkenness and pull-him-down. 

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu recalled with nostalgia, the zeal with which the late Most Rev. Kwaku Mensah conferred with him at the Manhyia Palace on matters of national concern. 

The requiem held at both the Cathedral and also at the Jubilee Park were heavily patronized by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. John Alexander Ackon, his Deputy, Mr. Andy Osei Okrah, Regional Security Heads, members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference led by its President, Most Rev. Joseph Osei Bonsu, colleague Bishops from Nigeria, representatives of other religious faiths in Ghana and the Catholic clergy.