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FIVE YEARS (2011 – 2016) OF EPISCOPAL MINISTRY IN

RETROSPECT: A JOURNEY OF CHALLENGES AND BLESSINGS

BY MOST REV. ANDREW JAGAYE KARNLEY

BISHOP OF CAPE PALMAS

I was appointed Bishop of Cape Palmas on 5th January 2011 and subsequently

ordained on 30th April 2011 at St. Theresa Cathedral in Cape Palmas. Most Rev.

George Antonysamy, who was the Apostolic Nuncio to Liberia, was the principal

consecrator. He was assisted as co-consecrators by Most Rev. Lewis Ziegler,

Archbishop of Monrovia and Most Rev. Boniface Dalieh, Bishop Emeritus of Cape

Palmas.

My episcopal appointment and ordination, which I can only attribute to the grace

and calling of God, prematurely ended my study of Church History at the

Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. It was quite an interesting coincidence

that I was working on a book report on the power and authority of bishops in the

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and 5th centuries when I was confidentially informed of my appointment and

later announced. One of my professors assigned this book to me on the first day of

lectures in October 2010. A few weeks after the announcement of my

appointment, I was given a certificate of registration and attendance in testimony

of the one semester I studied at the University.

In the ensuing months after my ordination, I visited all the parishes and a few out-

stations of the diocese. It was an uphill and demanding task reaching some places

like Sasstown and Buah in Grand Kru County as there were virtually no roads to

these places. Some places, like Betu, can only be reached by canoe. I even walked

part of the way to Tartuken in River Gee County. The roads were in a deplorable

state and overgrown with bush. And as part of my learning process about the

diocese, I also had consultative meetings with most priests, religious superiors,

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heads of diocesan departments and institutions, members of parish pastoral

councils and finance committees as well as other key stakeholders. This exercise

of pastoral visits and consultations was very much revealing. It opened my eyes to

the achievements that had been made, the enormity of the challenges and the

hidden opportunities in the diocese. I thus sought to build bridges of support and

collaboration locally and internationally to further enhance the achievements made,

deal with the challenges and exploit the opportunities. Based on what I had

observed and learned about the diocese, some key strategic priorities were set.

Paramount among them are the renovation of the infrastructure of the diocese,

working with the Vicar General and heads of department to source financial

resources for operational needs and programs for Caritas, Health, Education,

Justice and Peace and Pastoral and Catechetics, providing mobility for pastoral and

administrative work and initiating dialogue for collaboration with missionary

congregations. There is tangible evidence around the diocese that these priorities

are being realized each year through the providence of God and our collective hard

work.

The dialogue with missionary congregations in these five years has yielded fruitful

results with the Society of the Divine Word (commonly called Divine Word

Missionaries) establishing a mission in Grand Gedeh since November 2014. Four

Divine Word Missionaries are on the mission there. The Society of African

Missions has responded favorably to return to their old mission in Sasstown. A

priest and a lay missionary are serving in Sasstown as of the end of April 2016. A

second priest will join them later this year.

Though far from completion, a significant amount of progress has been made in

renovating and improving the rectories, convents, SHF formation house, SHF

nursery, churches, chapels, schools, diocesan secretariat, bishop’s residence and

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other facilities in the diocese. Besides renovation work, the construction of a new

church in Grandcess is now at roof level, a chapel is in progress in Bledjee in

Maryland and rectories are being constructed in Hoffman Station in Maryland and

Zwedru in Grand Gedeh. St. Francis Clinic in Pleebo has expanded and improved

its infrastructure and service in recent years.

Sasstown in Grand Kru, which was very isolated and without a resident priest as of

1994, has had a resident priest since January 2012. Fishtown in River Gee County

now has a resident priest since December 2015.

There has been a gradual improvement in mobility for pastoral, social and

administrative work in some parishes and almost all of the departments.

The Finance Department has undertaken an income generating initiative for the

diocese by setting up the Cape Palmas Investment Corporation. A general

merchandise store is established and a general hardware store will follow

eventually. Besides these, an oil palm plantation is being developed in Barriken

through a small holder project with the Maryland Oil Palm Plantation.

Many laudable initiatives and programs have been undertaken by various

departments, institutions and congregations in the diocese. The initiatives and

programs have positively impacted the lives of people in the southeast of Liberia.

There have been opportunities for capacity building for a few priests, religious and

lay staff.

The remarkable ministry of the Sisters of the Holy Family and the Missionaries of

Charity in the diocese is highly commendable. They always give their very best by

putting their heart and soul into all they do. The majority of the diocesan priests

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are doing well in their parishes and other assignments within and outside of the

diocese. Many good initiatives have been undertaken by them and the people in

the parishes. They have been my close collaborators in providing the necessary

pastoral and spiritual leadership to the people of the diocese. Some of them live

and work in challenging places in the southeast. The work of the lay men and

women in the departments, schools, clinics, rectories and convents and other

institutions deserve commendation. Many of our catechists and lay leaders have

demonstrated dedication and commitment to their ministry in the parishes and out-

stations.

We have been blessed in these five years with six persons being ordained to the

priesthood in 2012 and 2014. Three religious of the Sisters of the Holy Family

made Perpetual Vows in 2012. And just recently two novices of the Sisters of the

Holy Family made their First Profession of Temporary Religious Vows.

The road to realizing the priorities set was punctuated by high and low moments,

challenges and blessings. There were setbacks, delays, disappointments and even

accidents occasioned by human and natural agencies. I have even gone through

the ordeal three times of sleeping on the roads in Nimba, Sinoe and Grand Gedeh

because of extreme muddy and deplorable road conditions. We experienced the

tragic deaths of a deacon in 2011 and a lay missionary in 2016. There were also

the passing away into eternity in 2013 of Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis and

in 2014 of Bishop Boniface Nyema Dalieh. Even two young energetic priests

have fallen seriously ill, thus impacting our human resource capacity for pastoral

and spiritual leadership. But the goal was never lost even in the most difficult and

trying times. We forged ahead with resilience and determination.

I am grateful to God for his grace and calling to service in the Church in the

episcopate. Who I am today and what I have accomplished in the Diocese of Cape

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Palmas in these five years could not have been possible without the grace and

blessings of God. I must say thank you to the priests, religious and laity of the

diocese for their prayers, good will, hard work and collaboration in these five

years. What has been achieved thus far is our collective achievement. Everyone

has played his/her part well like an instrument in a musical symphony.

I must acknowledge with gratitude and appreciation the prayers and support of my

friends in Liberia and abroad. The Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the

Faith and the Pontifical Society for the Holy Childhood in Rome, the American

and British Provinces of the Society of African Missions, the Madonna House

Apostolate in Canada and the Catholic agencies, particularly in Germany, have

been very supportive. I must mention with gratitude the solidarity of our local

dioceses in Liberia and dioceses in the United States, Canada, Germany and

Nigeria.

The Vicar General, Rev. Msgr. Melvin Nyanti Gaye, the heads of departments and

all the staff of the Diocesan Secretariat have worked with me with efficiency and

dedication in these five years for the good of the diocese. I thank them most

sincerely.

I thank the Lord for calling me to the episcopate and giving me the graces and

blessings to carry out my episcopal ministry in these five years. TO GOD BE THE

GLORY FOR WHO I AM AND ALL THAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN

THESE FIVE YEARS.