Report By Bernard K DADZIE
His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Father Matthew Yitiereh, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Tamale as the new Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yendi.
The appointment was officially announced at a news conference held on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Catholic Secretariat in Accra.
Rev. Fr. Mathew Yitiereh, the elected Bishop of Yendi Diocese succeeds Most Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi- Nai, SVD, which follows the retirement of Most Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai SVD, the former Bishop of Yendi Diocese.
The Holy Father, Pope Francis announced his appointment as the new Bishop of the Yendi diocese on Friday the 3rd of June 2022 at the Vatican and was simultaneously released by the Apostolic Nunciature in Ghana.
In Canon Law, the ultimate decision in appointing Bishops rests with the Pope in Rome.
The process for selecting candidates for the episcopacy normally begins at the diocesan level and works its way through a series of consultations until it reaches Rome.
It is a process bound by strict confidentiality and involves a number of important players – the most influential being the apostolic nuncio, the Congregation for Bishops, and the Pope.
Rev. Father Matthew Yitiereh, was born on 1st January 1961 at Nandom Pina in the Upper West Region of Ghana, from a very religious Catholic parents, Mr, Richard Yitiereh and Mrs. Sabina Yitiereh, who are both deceased.
He attended St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminar, Wa, obtained “O” Level from 1976 – 1982, and proceeded to St. Hubert Minor Seminary, Kumasi for his ‘A’ Level from 1984–1986. He studied his Philosophical and Theological studies at St. Victor’s Major Seminary, Tamale from 1987–1995.
Rev. Fr. Yitiereh was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Tamale on 22nd July 1995 by Most Rev. Gregory E. Kpiebaya, the then Archbishop of Tamale. His first appointment was to the Holy Spirit Parish at Chamba as Assistant Priest from 1995 to 1997. He was then appointed as Parish Priest in Sts. Peter and Paul Parish at Education Ridge from 1997 to 2002 and at the same time, he was the Archdiocesan Youth Chaplain, He was also appointed as the Archdiocesan Master of Ceremonies from 1997 to 2009.
From 2002 to 2004, Rev. Father Matthew Yitiereh, took further studies in Ireland obtaining Master in Theology specialized in Pastoral Theology. He also obtained a Certificate in 2016 on Human Resource Management, Christian Organization for religious Advance Trust (CORAT) in Kenya.
Upon his return to Ghana from Ireland, he was appointed Cathedral Administrator of the Our Lady of Annunciation Cathedral, Tamale from 2004 to 2015. During these years, he also held different positions as being appointed or elected: President of the Tamale Archdiocesan Priests’ Association (2005-2010); Chairman of the Priests Senate and Assembly of Tamale Archdiocese (2005-2010).
Chairman of Tamale Province Pastoral Conference (2005-2010); Chairman of TEPPCON Commission on Liturgy and Sacraments (2005-2011); Chaplain of the Christian Mothers’ Association of the Archdiocese (20072012); Board Chairman of Tamale Community Health Nurses Training School (20102015) and Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of Cardinal Dery Beatification and Inauguration Process (2013-2015).
From 2011 to the present Fr. Yitiereh was appointed the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Tamale. Among other assignments he was serving to the present are: Dean of Tamale Central Deanery from 2005; Chairman, Archdiocesan Transport Committee from 2012; Board Chairman of Tamale Institute of Cross Cultural Studies (TICCS) and Member of the Archdiocesan Finance Committee from 2014.
From 2015 he serves the following: Episcopal Delegate of Cardinal Dery Beatification and Canonization Process; Human Resource Manager of Tamale Archdiocesan Catholic Secretariat; Chairman, Estates and Building Committee; Board Member, Catholic Guest House Limited. From 2016 he was the Board Chairman of St. Charles Minor Seminary/High School and Priest In-Charge, Blessed Sacrament Chaplaincy and from 2019 he was a member of the Archdiocesan Records Management Committee.
Rev. Fr. Matthew Yitiereh is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Tamale uatil his appemtment as the new Bishep-clect of the Catholic Diocese of Yendi on 3rd June 2022, by His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican (Rome)