Accra, Apostolic Prefecture of

ACCRA, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. - This prefecture, which takes its name from the capital city, was detached from the vicariate of the Gold Coast (Africa) in Dec. 1943. It comprises almost the whole of the Eastern Province (Eastern Prov.) of the Gold Coast, that is, the civil districts of Birim, Accra, New Juaben, Akwapim, and part of the district of Volta River and Ada; it is situated west of the Volta River, with an area of about 10,000 sq km.

The prefecture is evangelized by 13 missionaries of the Society of the Divine Word (Verbiti) and three Black priests, with two brothers. Catholics number 19,136, with 3,218 catechumens, out of a total population of about 750,000 inhabitants, belonging almost entirely to the Twi-speaking group in its two forms Fanti and Guang, while a very small minority belongs to the Ga-Ewe group. Since local Protestantism avails itself of a powerful school organization, the Verbiti, who began the mission in 1938, have already created a notable network of school works, which have risen from 4 to 87, with a total of 4,632 pupils. The greatest obstacle for the missionaries is fetishism, widely diffused and deeply rooted, but, thanks to their zeal, Catholic doctrine penetrates easily and rapidly (cf. MC, p. 2).

Giuseppe Monticone