Rev. Ted Kofitse 75, of Franklin, passed away unexpectedly at his home Monday June 17, 2024.
Rev. Fr. Ted Kofitse was born in Ghana on 17th November, 1948 to the late Mr. Philip Kofi Kofitse and Madam Grace Abena Kango, both of blessed memory. He was baptized and confirmed in the
Roman Catholic Church. He was the third in line of eight siblings.
He received his Primary Education at Gbi-Kledzo United Primary School and his Middle School Education at Gbi-Atabu Roman Catholic Middle School.
After successfully passing the Common Entrance Examination, he gained admission to Mawuli Secondary School at Ho where he obtained his ‘Ordinary Level Certificate’ after five years. He proceeded to Axim (Nsein) Secondary School for a Two Year ‘Advanced Level Certificate’
To enable him pursue his vision to serve God, he went to the Major Seminary, Pedu, at Cape Coast in Ghana after which he was ordained as a Roman Catholic Priest on 22nd December, 1984.
As a Priest, he did a one-year Pastoral Course in the Republic of Malta and later undertook a programme in Clinical Pastoral Education at St Elizabeth Hospital, Brighton, Massachusetts in the year 2002.
Before entering the Priesthood, he worked in the Labour Department in Ghana, and later as a lay-teacher at Nkwanta Secondary School.
After his ordination, he served as a Youth Chaplain at the Minor Seminary at Lolobi and also at Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) Secondary School, all in the Keta-Ho Diocese. He was later posted to the Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital at Kpando as Chaplain.
After training in ‘Clinical Pastoral Education’ in St. Elizabeth Hospital, Brighton, Massachusetts, Fr. Ted worked variously at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Franklin, MA, at Hanover and later at Saugus Catholic Churches respectively.
His interests included; Christian Drama, writing of short plays and poetry reading.
As we bid Rev. Fr. Ted Kofitse farewell, we take comfort in the knowledge that his soul has found a resting place in the arms of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ whom he served with an unwavering faith until his last breath on Earth.
Fr. Ted is survived by his siblings, Simon K. Kofitse, Alec Kofitse both of Franklin, Alphonse Kofitse, Rev. Sr. Bernadette Kofitse, Emmanuel Kofitse, Celestine Kofitse and Stella Kofitse all of Ghana. He also leaves extended family, and many friends in the Diocese of Boston and Ghana.
Fr. Ted's funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday July 3rd, in St. Mary's Church 1 Church Square, Franklin at 9AM. To view the Mass www.harborview.live
Burial will follow at the parish cemetery.
A calling hour will be held at the church from 8-9AM.
TRIBUTE BY THE FAMILY
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord:
whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. (Romans 14: 8).
Father Ted, your loving memory will forever stay with us. You have lived a life of complete faith
in Jesus Christ and we admired you for your stand for the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You regarded your service to God above all else and you served Him until the very end. You
sacrificed every worldly pleasure for the sake of the Cross of Jesus Christ.
You lived a life of generosity and no matter how little you had you were always ready to give
‘your last’ to anyone in need. May the good Lord remember you for your selfless devotion to Him
and Humanity.
• We remember our childhood days when we used to go joyfully to the farm, whether rain
or shine.
• We remember your loud laughter, and we remember your humorous jokes.
• We will never forget your greeting salutation ‘Newo kafu Yesu Christo’ (Praise the Lord
Jesus Christ); and our response: ‘Tegbe, Tegbe, Amen!’ (Forever and ever Amen).
Father Ted, the family will forever miss you. Your friends and colleagues will miss you. The
students you mentored as Chaplain will miss you and Humanity will miss you for your unfeigned
love. Your sudden departure was a shock to us, but God knows best.
What else can we say?
‘Afetor, mie siwotso,
Na dzidzeme wo Dorla.
Afetor, mie siwotso,
Na Sitsofe wo Dorla.
Sitsofe! Sitsofe!
Na Sitsofe wo Dorla.
Until we meet again, rest in perfect peace in the bosom of the Almighty God.
Fr. Ted, ‘He Denyuie! Nadzudzor le Nutifafa me!
TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF VREV. FR. TED KOFITSE
BY HO CATHOLIC DIOCESAN PRIESTS` ASSOCIATION
23RD JUNE 2024
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” (Thucydides)
Ho Catholic Diocesan Priests` Association (HOCDPA) received the news of the demise of our brother VRev. Fr. Ted Kofitse with sadness. The reality of death, with all its pain and sense of loss, confronts us at this moment. We sense that in losing him, we have lost not only a servant of God, but also his unique way of manifesting God. We feel the emptiness of his departure.
EDUCATION
Fr. Ted entered St. Peter`s Regional Seminary, Cape Coast in 1978 where he pursued his philosophical and theological studies and was ordained on the 22nd of December 1984. This year is exactly 40 Years of his Priestly anniversary. He generously offered his life and faithfully served the Church for these 40 years. Many of us expected him to return to his home Diocese so that we could join him in celebrating his 40th anniversary.
APPOINTMENTS IN HO DIOCESE - GHANA
1984 - 1985 appointed the Youth Chaplain of the then Keta-Ho Diocese (Ghana)
1985 - 1987 appointed teacher and chaplain of St. Mary`s Minor Seminary, Lolobi
1987 - 1988 studied at the Institute of St. Anselm in Kent, England – in Human Growth and Development.
1988 – 1995 appointed teacher and chaplain of OLA Girls Secondary School, Ho
1995 transferred to Bishop Herman College, Kpando as teacher/Chaplain
1996 – 2002 served as Chaplain of Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital, Kpando.
PERSONALITY
Fr. Ted had a generous heart and smiles a lot but could be very serious when the occasion demanded. What stands out about him was his fidelity to prayer especially before the Blessed Sacrament. He was prayerful and a person of deep faith. His willingness to abandon himself to the Lord and wait on the Lord were great lessons he passed on by example. He was a person who spoke out frankly about issues without fear or favor. He kept hidden from nearly everyone the pains he endured when he was sick.
His leadership qualities and charismatic personality were readily apparent. He did not stride the world stage in any shape or form looking for fame or prestige. He led a life of simplicity as a priest. At heart, he was a simple person who totally gave his life to the service of the weak, the poor, and the sick in a commitment of indescribable proportions. He possessed the charism of healing and ministering to others and a profound love and concern for everyone who encountered him.
He was endowed with qualities such as patience, understanding, commitment and the preparedness to advise others especially his brother priests. He was kindhearted, jovial, and pleasant to associate with.
We thank the Lord for his life of dedication and commitment as a priest. We have lost a pastor who was very simple and humble in his dealings with others. We have lost a teacher and a hospital chaplain who has imparted and enriched the lives of many people. The best tribute to the memory of our departed brother is to pray for the peaceful repose of his soul.
May he rest in perfect peace.
TRIBUTE BY REV. DR. PATRICK NICANDA ALLALA TO FR. TED KOFITSE
Ps.89: I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;? with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known? through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever,? that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
Very Rev. Fr. Ted Korku Kofitse, the words of the Psalmist reverberate the very life you led. Your understanding of the faith you professed and the vocation you ultimately chose and how you spent the rest of that life, are epitomized in the words of the Psalmist above.
Yes! You have sung of the Lord’s great love till the end; Your mouth has made His faithfulness known to all who met or known you; You have declared that His love stands firm forever; and you were the symbol of that love to many who came across you.
Today we say goodbye to a brother, a friend, a spiritual director, a prayer warrior, an advocate, a good counsel, and a true servant of the Lord. Your spirituality embodied in simplicity, and the contentment about the barest minimum life can offer, were a challenge to many. You were assertive and steadfast in the defense of the truth as you knew it; and you were ready to compromise even your benefits and privileges for Christ’s will to prevail. For these, you were often misunderstood; but that meant very little to you if only Christ’s will be done in such events and circumstances.
You made yourself poor to provide for the needy: you fed the hungry when you were yourself starving; you clothed the naked when you barely had anything to wear yourself; you visited the sick and the imprisoned and covered them with the blood of Jesus through prayers and fasting when you were yourself very sick and had no physician; you were the comforter of the afflicted who often reached out to you with their burdens. To those, you would say, “DO NOT FORGET TO PRAY THE ROSARY”...”CALL OUR MOTHER, SHE WILL HELP YOU”. These and other spiritual recommendations you would say to end your prayerful interactions with them.
The last time we spoke, which was about a week to your sudden demise, you asked me to say a Mass for your private intention. After that Mass I called to announce “mission accomplished”. We spent the rest of that evening talking about life, shared about past life while in Ghana, and cracked many jokes and laughed together to spice up the rest of the evening. Then you said to me as we were dropping the line, “Patrick, call me again so we can laugh together, norvinye”. Little did I know that that was the last time we were hearing of each other’s voice here on earth. Little did I know that that was our last laugh together.
We grieve, we cry in despair, and we ask: ‘Why now’?
Then a gentle voice from you reassures us:
“Safely Home. I am home in Heaven, my dear brothers and sisters, my dear friends, my dear family …
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and perfect beauty in this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over, Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever, Safely home in Heaven at last.
Did you wonder I so calmly and shortly Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh, But Jesus’s love illumined Every dark and fearful glade.
And He came Himself to meet me in that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus’ arm to lean on, Could I have one doubt or dread?
Then you must not grieve so sorely, For I love you dearly still;
Try to look beyond earth’s shadows, Pray to trust our Father’s will.
There is work still waiting for you, So you must not idly stand;
When that work is all completed, He will gently call you home;
Do it now, while life remaineth – You shall rest in Jesus’ land.
When that work is all completed, He will gently call you home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting, Oh the joy to see you come!
Then with that assurance, we respond:
‘Pray for us St. Ted Kofitse.’
Fare thee well, my brother from another mother!
By Rev. Dr. Patrick Nicanda Allala