In 1957, Rev. Fr. C. Peter Klaver, a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry of the then Kumasi College of Technology, which in 1961 metamorphosed into the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), started organizing the Catholics of the institution for Masses.

Mass was held in the hall chapel of the Republic Hall and when the numbers grew, and the hall chapel became too small, they moved to the old Biological Sciences and later on, to a larger room in the Manciples now CeCast. As the numbers continued to grow, Fr. Klaver started thinking about building a chapel. He shared his thoughts with the then Vice Chancellor, Dr. R. P. Baffour who was also a Catholic.

The Vice Chancellor prepared strong justification and plans for the need for a Chaplaincy (both Catholic and Protestant) at KNUST. He would take his Rosary and go to the Botanical Garden and pray about the issue. Eventually, he received approval to build a chapel and a residence for the Catholic Chaplain.

On June 10, 1965, Trinity Sunday, the new chapel building was dedicated by Archbishop Kwodwo Amissah and christened “Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church” and Rev. Fr. Klaver was installed the first Chaplain. From that time onwards, baptisms and marriages that were celebrated in the Chaplaincy were recorded in the Chaplaincy’s own records and no more in the records of the Cathedral. The first marriage that was recorded was between Mr. and Mrs. Awotwi who are still Parishioners with us today and celebrated their Golden Jubilee anniversary recently.

Over the past 50 years, the seed of Catholic faith that was sown here at KNUST with less than 130 Catholics with a 500-capacity Chapel building and a Chaplain’s house, has grown about 25 fold and has added a Chaplaincy Complex and a Parish Centre. The tremendous growth and development in numbers, in infrastructure and in activities of the Chaplaincy is due to the abundance of God’s blessings and the wonderful leadership of the past and present chaplains, as well as the great spirit of cooperation given them by all members of the Chaplaincy community as well as their dedication, commitment and sacrifice of many people.

Naturally, this growth has brought about challenges that need to be addressed. Apart from the current project of expanding the Chapel building to a capacity of 2500, there is the need for a New Evangelization at the Chaplaincy to give Catholics confidence to know what they believe, why they believe and to live out their faith in their day to day activities. This is what is required of a Chaplaincy in a tertiary institution so that it can form the minds and hearts of students who pass through the University to become agents of social transformation according to the beliefs of the Catholic Church.

Among others, the Chaplaincy has produced priests and religious, as well as gallant men and women of faith, some of whom continue to render incalculable services to the Church in the entire country and beyond, though some have gone to their eternal rest.