A Catholic Priest in the Kumasi Archdiocese has beaten all odds to become the first ever Catholic Priest Medical Doctor for the Kumasi Archdiocese.
On Friday July 4, 2020, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Mensah Boateng completed his six-year medical studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology giving him the spot of the first ever Catholic priest medical doctor in his Archdiocese.
The priest cum medical doctor shared his journey from the conception of the idea of becoming a priest and a medical doctor through to the denouement with AGNUS-DEI MEDIA.
Prior Development;
“Right from infancy, I had the dream of becoming a medical doctor. I had the dream right from the beginning as young as 15years. The guys around my area knew that I had the vision to become a priest and a doctor.
And so after my exams, I got 7As and got Opoku Ware school, but because I wanted to be a priest, I just chose St. Hubert Seminary, because I had the vision to be a priest.
And then there, I think after a year, the Bishop said I should go to Opoku Ware and study science because I was inclined to science.
I went to Opoku Ware and after my completion, I scored good grades. I had the chance to go to either “Tech” for my medical school or go to legon, but because I chose to be a priest I said I want to go to the Seminary.
So I went to St. Paul’s major seminary in Sowutuom and then I proceeded to St. Peter’s Regional Seminary in Pedu.
One thing is that, I had to choose between being a medical doctor and a priest, then I chose a priest.
So I forwent the medical profession . I didn’t have the idea that one day I’ll be called back to go into the medical school. I had the dream to be a priest. So after completing my school in 2012, with my friends like Fr. Hillary, Fr. Cudjoe and the rest, I was appointed as the assistant Parish Priest in one of the churches.
After six months, the Bishop called me and said he wants me to go to the medical school( giggles), then I said wow, it’s so surprising because I chose the path God wanted and he (God) chose what I wanted for me.
I was so proud to go to the medical school. In the medical school, things were good and bad and wonderful. I met great people, great professors. I mean it’s challenging from first year to sixth year.
There’s so much to learn, so much to do. People see you as their role model as a priest and as a student. So in the morning, I’m a student, in the evening I’m a priest (giggles). So whiles in school, I joined the Pax Romana, so I was worshiping with them, I was their chaplain at Komfo Anokye teaching hospital. So on Wednesdays and Sundays, I worship with them, I lead them the mass. Because I was a student too, combining them with the degree, it was a bit difficult. But with the grace of God we tried to do our best.
We were supposed to finish on 26th of June but because of the lockdown and restrictions we were home. But when the president said we should go and write our exams, we returned to school on the 15th of June and then they said we have just a week left to write our exams.
So imagine, for a whole six years and using a week to prepare for your exams, imagine(stresses). And we had two weeks non stop to write the exams, from 22nd to yesterday, everyday we had an exam, even on Saturdays. But by the grace of God we have completed and we call it all joy. It is just that by the grace of God a priest and Doctor has won a journey, but there’s so much to learn.
People see me as their role model. I also learn from my professors, sometimes they also listen to my advice. So the medical profession, the medical school has been so challenging, and the journey has been so great too”.
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Mensah Boateng was born on 22nd January 1984 and attended T. I Ahmadiyya JHS in Kumasi. He was ordained a priest on 21st July 2012 and posted to St. Joseph Catholic Church at Nkenkaasu as a curate and later worked at St. Paul’s Catholic Church as Amakom in 2013 also as a curate.
He is currently a resident priest at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, South-Suntreso and a medical doctor by profession.
Source: AGNUS-DEI MEDIA