In front of the altar laid the two SVD missionaries, Bishop Joseph Oliver Bowers 102 years facing Brother Samuel Adjei, 51 in the Cathedral of Holy Spirit, Accra on Friday 9th Nov.
At the funeral was a huge number of the clergy and religious; all the members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference including the Bishops emeriti of the country were present. Although the Cathedral was filled to capacity, lay participation was rather low. Many lay people did not know of the death and the funeral arrangements.
The funeral had to be done quickly to fulfil the late Bishop’s desire that he should be buried as soon as possible when he dies. Also, to allow all the bishops to participate at the funeral since they were all in the south (Koforidua) to attend their annual plenary session. In addition, Brother Adjei, SVD whose burial was scheduled for the Friday the 9th Nov. made it somehow ‘attractive’ to put the funeral together.
The Mass was presided over by Most Rev. Charles Palmer Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra and the sermon was delivered by Most Rev. Gabriel Kumordji, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Afram Plains. In the sermon he reflected on how Bishop Bowers joined the SVD to become a missionary, studied at Bay St. Louis, was missioned to Ghana and worked tirelessly in the Eastern Region of Ghana and eventually died in the Eastern region.
Brother Adjei on the other hand was a fruit of the works of Bishop Bowers in the Eastern Region, Nkawkaw to be precise where Bro. Adjei was born; doing missionary work for some time in Chile he was transferred to Bay St. Louis where Bishop studied. Brother Adjei died there as a missionary.
The president of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency John Mahama was present at the Mass to pay homage to the dead. The Archbishop also prayed for those who had lost their lives in the recent disaster that occurred in the city when a six-storey shopping mall collapsed on the workers and some shoppers killing some of them. When given the opportunity to give a message, the president advised the congregation to check their eating habits to avoid contracting diseases that would make them die young. He also commented on the disaster that the Archbishop prayed for.
Bishop Bowers was buried in the Cathedral whilst Brother Samuel Adjei was buried at the SVD Cemetery at Nsawam.(Photographs )(VIDEO)