Welcome to the new Sub-Dean of St George's Cathedral
The Archdiocese of Southwark is very happy to announce that Fr Joseph Donkor joins St George's Cathedral this week as their new Sub-Dean.
Fr Joseph is a priest of the Diocese of Goaso, a vocation he became aware at an early age while he was still at Junior High school at my hometown of Techimantia, Ghana. Under his local parish priest, Fr Miki’s guidance and inspiration, he left his family in Techimantia to continue his education at St. James Seminary/Secondary school in the city of Sunyani, about 190 miles Southwest of Ghanaian capital Accra.
He thrived at St. James and then took the next major step in his vocation: he made the decision to become a priest. He entered St Paul’s Major Seminary (Accra) and then St Peter’s Seminary (Cape Coast) for philosophical and theological training, respectively. Having obtained a Diploma in Religion and a BA in Sacred Theology. In 2003, he registered for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of the Cape Coast to qualify as a teacher and received a distinction. Teaching practice was completed at Ghana National Junior Secondary School where he developed a range of skills and teaching styles.
Following this he was ordained a deacon and was placed in the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chaplaincy of the distinguished University of Cape Coast, not only to provide pastoral care but to further enhance his skills. After seven years of Seminary formation, he was ordained in 2004.
Following his experience of various ministries within the Diocese, he was offered generous support to study the discipline of education at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, UK. In 2018, he completed a Master’s degree in Catholic school leadership at St. Mary’s, where his tutors have been impressed with his work and urged him to continue on to doctoral studies, focusing on the extent to which teachers contribute to the formation of young people in the Diocese of Goaso. The Master’s degree provided him with a strong knowledge of education and theology and how they intersect in relation to the formation of Catholic school leaders, especially around spiritual formation, and leadership.
We wish him well as he takes up this important new ministry, which is integral to the life of St George's Cathedral
