Father Charles' journey to ordination wasn't easy. Students from underdeveloped nations can't always find money to support their studies. Often, seminaries must turn away prospective priests. Such is the case in Ghanaian Catholic churches.

After ordination Father Charles became as associate priest in Ghana and ministered to 23 mission congregations. A tough task for a new priest, but not unusual for Ghana's Catholic Church. He now serves the Koforidua Diocese, which supports 500 mission stations. In addition, there are 27 parishes, 92 churches but only 34 priests and a handful of missionaries. In Ghana there are 17 diocese and thousands of mission churches.

"The missionaries did a great job establishing the church and many schools here, but now it's a headache for us today. There isn't a sign of the church dwindling at all, it's thriving, but we simply do not have the money it takes to do all the things we need to do." Already, there are more than 200,000 Catholics in the diocese. It supports more than 500 schools from kindergarten to a seminary.

In the beginning, Father Charles served what was then the Accra Diocese. The area was split into two diocese due to rapid growth. The Koforidua Diocese was created to cover 19,000 kilometers, an area less than half the size of Iowa.

After serving as secretary to the new diocese's bishop for four years, Father Charles was offered a scholarship to study in Rome. "I choose to take this educational opportunity because it suits the needs of the diocese."

Before he could begin the three year program, focusing on various youth ministries, Father Charles had to learn Italian. He now speaks his mother tongue, English, three Ghanaian dialects and some German.

"More than 45 percent of our diocese is youth. They are very active, very eager to serve and a big goal ... is to uplift their leadership. These are challenges we cannot run away from. And there is the growing problem of the proliferation of Islam, which all of Africa is dealing with."

At this time there are 45 minor seminarians -- those in secondary school or college, and 18 major seminarians -- current theology students. "Many of them show potential ... and the desire but their parents cannot support them even in secondary school. We depend a great deal on benefactors. Our ministry is growing so rapidly it is not inconceivable that our dioceses will split again in less than 20 years."

For more information on the Diocese of Koforidua or to send financial support, contact Bishop Charles G. Palmer-Buckle at P.O. Box 625, Koforidua, Ghana, West Africa, or by e-mail at cpbuckle@africaonline.com. Locally, you can get information from Father Patrick Geary.