Archbishop of Canterbury visits Ghana as USPG funds Anglican Heritage Centre 

I have felt so much at home.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd & Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, recently made a pastoral visit to Ghana (and Cameroon) on the invitation of the Most Revd Dr Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith. Throughout her time in Ghana, Archbishop Mullally spoke of the warmth of the welcome she received and the deep sense of belonging shared by being part of one global Anglican family. 

The presence of the Revd Canon Dr Duncan Dormor, General Secretary USPG, reflected USPG’s long-standing partnership with the Anglican Church in Ghana too and our shared commitment to engaging with the Church’s historic involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and the ongoing journey of reconciliation. 

A key moment of Archbishop Mullally’s time in Ghana was the marking of the beginning of the Heritage Anglican Culture Village and Resort project in Accra, an initiative supported by a £250,000 grant from USPG. The project will create a place of welcome, pilgrimage and reflection for visitors, including members of the African diaspora seeking to reconnect with their heritage and learn more about the history of the slave trade and its ongoing impact. 

The Heritage Anglican Culture Village and Resort project will provide accommodation and spaces for education, prayer and reflection. The first phase will include 41 apartments in Accra, with future plans for similar centres in Kumasi and Cape Coast which celebrate Ghanaian culture and honour its history. Speaking to AdoaTV, Revd Dormor said:

The project will also give people an opportunity to embrace the Ghana of today, particularly since independence.

At St Joseph the Worker Anglican Church, Kaneshie, Archbishop Mullally joined the Most Revd Dr Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, and Revd Canon Dr Duncan Dormor, USPG General Secretary, for the laying of the foundation stone for the Heritage Anglican Culture Village and Resort. 

As the ground was blessed, those gathered gave thanks for the partnership behind the project and prayed for all who will help bring it to life. The Rt Revd Dr Daniel Sylvanus Mensah Torto, Bishop of Accra, prayed especially for those involved, asking God to “strengthen the hands” of all who will work on the project. 

The visit also celebrated the longstanding connection between USPG and the Church in Ghana over the past 270 years. Addressing the congregation at St Joseph’s, Revd Canon Dr Duncan Dormor spoke of USPG’s role as one of accompaniment, in terms of walking alongside the Church in Ghana and being present as it responds to the needs and opportunities of its context. He said that this was the vision of Archbishop Kobina Ben-Smith and the Anglican Church in Ghana: to be a generous host, offering care and hospitality to those visiting places of profound historical significance. 

One such place is Cape Coast Castle, a former European trading fort on Ghana’s coast and one of the principal sites associated with the transatlantic slave trade. Thousands of enslaved African people were held there before being transported across the Atlantic. The site is also deeply connected with USPG’s own history, as the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG) provided chaplaincy at Cape Coast Castle from 1751 through to the end of the slave trade in 1807 and beyond. 

Reflecting on Cape Coast Castle, Archbishop Mullally shared: 

Seeing the horrific conditions that thousands of people were kept in, it is impossible not to feel the weight of the immense evil that drove the transatlantic slave trade.

I pray not only in lament for the Church’s involvement in the slave trade, but also for hope – hope that the God of healing can bring justice and reconciliation to all who are still impacted by its legacy.

The Archbishop’s reflections echo the purpose of USPG’s work in Ghana: to acknowledge the past, support the Church’s response today and help create spaces where healing and reconciliation can take place. 

USPG gives thanks to Archbishop Kobina Ben-Smith, the Internal Province of Ghana and the Church of the Province of West Africa for their faithful partnership, which continues to strengthen our shared commitment to mission, justice and reconciliation. 

Gallery 

Archbishop Mullally with His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, King of the Ashanti Kingdom, in Kumasi. They reflected on the Church’s ministry in Ghana and their common calling to follow Jesus. 

Archbishop Mullally at Adisadel College, the second oldest senior high school in Ghana. Founded in 1910 by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG), USPG’s precursor. 

On her first Sunday in Ghana, Archbishop Mullally worshipped with clergy and congregations across six Anglican churches in Accra praising the “deep roots and big hearts” of the church community.

At St Joseph the Worker Anglican Church, Kaneshie, Archbishop Mullally preached at an all-female-led Eucharist, giving thanks for the ministry, faithfulness and witness of the women priests who led the service. 

Photos shared with permission and thanks to: Nana Osei Adu-Boahene/Lambeth