Fr. Andrew Campbell’s Life of Sacrifice Moves Nation
There were tears, songs, and standing ovations as Ghana celebrated one of its most beloved missionaries, Very Rev. Fr. Andrew Campbell, SVD, on his 80th birthday.
At a deeply moving Mass at the Weija Leprosarium on March 27, Church leaders, cured lepers, street children, and faithful from across the country gathered to honour a priest who has spent more than five decades serving the forgotten.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana Archbishop Julien Kabore, delivered a powerful homily, praising Fr. Campbell’s life as a witness to Christ’s love in action. He was joined by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, and many Clergy and Religious.
But it was the presence of former leprosy patients and street children—the “Learners”—that defined the day. Their vibrant cultural performance brought the congregation to tears, symbolising lives transformed by compassion.
A major highlight was the commissioning of a new kitchen facility to provide daily meals for residents—part of a GH¢1 million fundraising effort led by the priest himself.
Even in celebration, Fr. Campbell issued a heartfelt appeal: “Things have been difficult. If you can support, please come.”
Born in Dublin in 1946, he arrived in Ghana in 1971 and never left. Today, he runs multiple leprosariums and continues to care for thousands, including street children in Accra.
At 80, his mission remains unchanged: serve the forgotten.
