The Knights and Ladies of St. John International (KSJI) have officially handed over a new spiritual retreat facility to the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, aimed at deepening prayer life and providing a quiet space for reflection and renewal for the faithful.
Known as the “Hermitage Project,” the facility, valued at about GH¢800,000, is located at Kordiabe in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region. It has been dedicated in memory of the late Rev. John Kwadwo Ammisah, a former Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast and past Spiritual Director of KSJI in Ghana.
The centre is designed as a retreat house and includes three bedrooms, a chapel, a kitchen, a visitors’ washroom, and a storeroom. The project was completed with the voluntary professional support of KSJI members.
At the handing-over ceremony, members of the Accra East Grand Commandery and the Accra East Grand Ladies Auxiliary of KSJI were present to witness the formal presentation of the facility.
Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare, commended the initiative, describing retreat centres as vital spaces for spiritual growth and urging Catholics to make full use of the facility.
Chaplain of KSJI Accra East Grand, Rev. Fr. Major John Benya Mensah, also encouraged members of the church to use their faith to guide others, noting that many people seek quiet environments for prayer and encounter with God.
He said the new centre provides exactly such an environment and called on the faithful to direct others to it for spiritual nourishment.
Grand President of KSJI, Mr Samuel Baimbill-Johnson, expressed gratitude to members and contributors of the project, encouraging wider use of the facility.
He noted that the centre offers a convenient alternative for retreats without having to travel far outside the Archdiocese.
The Hermitage Project honours the legacy of Archbishop Amissah, born in Elmina in 1922, who was ordained a priest in 1949 and later became Archbishop of Cape Coast in 1960. He served in several leadership roles in the Church, including President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Grand Spiritual Director of KSJI until his death in 1991.
