Pittsburgh, PA
On July 3, 2014 
Pope Francis named the Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, C.S.Sp., S.S.L.,  bishop of more than 408,000 Catholics in Ghana.

A native of Ghana, Fr. John arrived at Duquesne in 2013 to teach an undergraduate course in critical examination of biblical and historical perspectives. He will become a bishop of Ghana’s Sekondi-Takoradi, an area of 2 million people, including 408,650 Catholics, 110 priests and 70 religious.

The bishop-elect, born in Powa, Ghana, was ordained as a member of the Spiritan Congregation in 1988. He holds a licentiate in sacred scripture in biblical exegesis (the interpretation of the Bible) from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. At Duquesne, his class related interpretation of the Bible to contemporary issues.

Kwofie’s experience is rooted in his roles as an academic, a pastor and a leader in his congregation. Besides teaching at Duquesne, Kwofie has been involved with the Spiritan International School of Theology in Nigeria. He has presented on Culture and Formation, The Consecrated Life in Africa and to special assemblies in Africa and Rome.

His pastoral work has touched parishes in Bohyen Bamtama, the archdiocese of Kumasi and the archdiocese of Accra, the capital city. Additionally, he has done pastoral and missionary work in The Gambia.

Kwofie has served in a variety of leadership roles with the Spiritan Congregation, which is the order that founded and operates Duquesne. These positions included vice president of the Conference of Major Superiors for Africa, provincial superior of the Congregation of West Africa, coordinator of the Continental Conference of Major Superiors for Africa and first assistant of the Superior General of the Congregation.

He received his bachelor’s degree in theology from Paul’s College-Seminary in Liberia/ Urbaniana University in Rome and continued his studies in pastoral leadership formation at Lumko Institute, South Africa. He earned his S.S.L. from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. Additionally, he holds a certificate from the Ghana Institute of Management and Professional Studies in Accra.