The Building of St. Francis de Sales Mission in Cape Coast

The years between 1893 and 1906 were particularly trying for the missionaries. There were a lot of deaths, replacements were slow in coming and funds were low and scarce. The sustainability of the mission was in a crisis, which was mitigated only by the participation of lay converts, who spread the new faith wherever they went… from the coastal town inland.
 
Fr. Maximillian Albert succeeded Fr. Michon, who died in the Yellow Fever outbreak, as the new Prefect Apostolic (head of mission). Only five priests had survived the Yellow Fever outbreak. 

The Gold Coast mission needed more personnel (priests and nuns) and more funding beside the yearly grant of 800 from the Propaganda Fide and 320 from Holy Childhood. For the overheads were many. Teachers needed to be paid, school material bought, medicine procured, buildings repaired etc. Accordingly, Fr. Albert traveled to Europe to appeal for help in France, Belgium and Germany.

After a year Fr. Albert returned with new missionaries, more Sisters and money. Part of this money financed a new mission house on St. Francis de Sales hill, Cape Coast, to replace the rented house at Inkum.

On completion in 1896, Fr. Albert made it the headquarters of the Gold Coast mission, for: 

• Cape Coast was the Central Region and all government offices were there. 
• Mail and cargo boats stopped at Cape Coast and not at Elmina 
• Cape Coast had better road links to the interior.

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