The first ordained female Rev. Father in Ghana, Check Her out.

Last week, news became rife that the Anglican Diocese of Cape Coast had ordained its first female priest. The news came out on social media with the picture of a young woman in a white priestly gown full of smiles.

However, investigation has established that the said ordination took place last year at St. James’ Anglican Church at Agona Swedro in the Central Region.

The well-attended program was the first of its kind in the Cape Coast diocese and saw the ordination of two into the priesthood. They were Rev. Mrs. Vida Gyaben Frimpong and Rev. Oheneba Ogyabea Onoma-Ehuren.

According to a statement published on the diocese’s website intercepted by CitizenOne, the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. Victor Reginald Atta Boafo charged the two priests to offer selfless and dedicated service that will draw more people to Christ.

The Roman Catholic Church remains the only orthodox Christian denomination that does not ordain women as priests despite calls from across the world for the church to soften its stance. Some dioceses in the United States violated this order and ordained some women but the Pope later indicated that those women will not be recognized as priests in the church.

In clarifying the roles of women in the church, Pope Benedict XVI (Pope Eemiretus) stated that women are allowed to read during Mass, assist at the altar and distribute communion, priesthood remains banned to them.

But the other orthodox churches namely the Anglican, Methodist, and the Presbyterian church do ordain women. Of these three, the closest to the Catholic church is Anglican. The Anglican church shares a lot in common with the Roman Catholic Church. But the two also share a lot of differences that many don’t know.

For instance, in addition to the ordination of women, the priests in the Catholic church maintain celibacy but those in the Anglican churches do marry. The Anglican church allows homosexual marriages but the Catholic church doesn’t among others differences.

The first woman to be ordained Anglican Priest in Ghana was ordained thirteen years ago in St. Anselm’s Anglican Cathedral, Sunyani.

Her name was Rev. Hannah Dwomoh, a native of Nkoranza. Since then there have been other female priests joining the holy orders as priests in various dioceses across the country.