Irish-Ghanaian Catholic missionary and humanitarian, Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, has recounted how he arrived in Ghana from Liverpool, United Kingdom, in October 1971, after spending 13 days travelling by sea.
Speaking in an interview on Y’adwuma Nie on Angel FM, Rev. Father Campbell said he arrived at the Tema Harbour aboard the MV Aureol, a passenger ship operated by Elder Dempster Line.
According to him, he travelled with other priests and, upon their arrival in Ghana, they decided to take some time to enjoy themselves before beginning their missionary work.
He recalled: “13th of October 1971 at 12 noon at Tema Harbour. I came by boat. I came from Liverpool all the way on the Elder Dempster Line, the Aureol, and I spent 13 days on the high seas. I came out to Ghana and I arrived on the 13th of October, 12 noon at Tema Harbour.”
When asked about the purpose of his mission to Ghana, Rev. Father Campbell explained that he belonged to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), a Catholic religious missionary congregation committed to spreading the Gospel.
“I belong to a mission called the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD), the Society of the Divine Word. It is a congregation I belong to, to spread the Word of God and to tell people the good news of Jesus Christ,” he said.
He further disclosed that he was ordained as a priest on December 20, 1970, before volunteering to come to Ghana to dedicate his missionary life to serving the country.
“I was ordained a priest on the 20th of December 1970, so that is 56 years next month, and I volunteered to come to Ghana to spend my time here in Ghana,” he added.
