On July 10, 2026, fifteen novices were vested in the habit of the Order at the St. Francis of Assisi Friary and Novitiate in Saltpond, Ghana. The event took place as part of the celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the transitus of St. Francis of Assisi and was a joyful occasion of renewal for the Franciscan family.
The vesting ceremony was presided over by Friar Francis Pascal AFFUM, the newly elected Vicar Custos of the Provincial Custody of St. Anthony of Padua in Ghana. During the ceremony, Friar Pascal encouraged the novices to embrace their formation journey with openness and perseverance, to remain consistent in the commitment they have made, and to surrender their wills to God. He also reminded them that the celebration of the 800th anniversary is a call for all Franciscans to return to the radical Gospel way of life lived by St. Francis of Assisi.
Of the fifteen novices vested, eight are from the Provincial Delegation in Burkina Faso. They are Friars Wendmangde Appollinaire KISSOU, Raphael SAWADOGO, Zana Arsene GANDEMA, Richard BELEM, Romaric BAYILI, Vincent OUOBA, Barth Anderson Bruno NANA, and Eric ZONGO.
The remaining seven are from the Custody of Ghana. They are Friars Paul Pascal MENSAH, Vitus Mwinsome BEYUO, Francis ARHIN, Raymond Kwaku KYEI, Elijah Dare DOMPOTEER, Ishmael WORTEY, and Daniel Naab NSIBE.
The newly vested novices now begin their canonical year of novitiate, during which they will devote themselves to prayer, fraternity, study, and deeper conformity to Christ in the footsteps of St. Francis. Their formation will be entrusted to Friar Moses Kabenla ARTHUR, the Novice Master, assisted by Friar Louis Etsey NANEWODO.
We extend our best wishes to all the novices as they begin this year of probation and deeper discovery of God’s will for their lives.
Friar Moses Kabenla ARTHUR
