The invaluable contributions of these two priests to the church in the local language saw the faithful clamoring for more Asante priests at a time when the clergy in the diocese of Kumasi were all Dutch S.M.A. missionaries. Many young men responded to the call but very few ever became priests as a result of frequent dismissals from the seminary at Amisano for minor or even “suspected” offenses.

Bishop Essuah built the beautiful magnificent three-story dormitory block (see picture on hubert.htm page) and named the seminary after the first diocesan bishop of Kumasi, Bishop Hubert Pauliseen, S.M.A., a Dutch missionary. The foundation stone of the new Kumasi diocesan minor seminary was laid by then Asantehene, Sir Otumfuo Agyeman Prempeh II, and blessed by Bishop Joseph Amihere Essuah in 1967. Bishop Essuah was later transferred to the newly created Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi in 1970.

In March 1970, Bishop Peter K. Sarpong, the first Asante Bishop, succeeded Bishop Essuah. He opened St. Hubert Seminary in October 1970 with thirty seminarians and five staff members. Msgr. Robert Mensah Abampahm, his first Vicar General, was made the first Rector. The present magnificent dormitory block functioned as a multi-purpose building serving as classrooms, staff common room, Rector’s office, chapel as well as Fathers’ accommodation. The five permanent staff members who began St. Hubert were Archbishop Peter K. Sarpong, Msgr. Robert Mensah Abrampah (Rector), Msgr. Amoako-Adusei, Mr. Philip Darmoe and Miss Agnes V. Adjei. The late Mr. Anthony Brembah from Opoku Ware School as a part-time tutor in Music without charge later joined them.

On December 10, 1972, St. Hubert Seminary was officially opened at a grand and colorful ceremony with Otumfuo Opoku Ware II as a guest of honor. The student population had risen from 30 to 105. The teaching staff was joined by the late Fr. Joseph White, C.S.Sp., who later became the second Rector, Msgr. Matthew Adjaye, the first Spiritual Director and Mr. Charles Oko-Agyeman as full-time tutors while others from Opoku Ware School helped on a part-time basis.

With the first division of Kumasi Diocese in 1973, Msgr. Abrampah had to leave for the then newly created Sunyani Diocese and the headship went to the late Fr. Joseph White, C.S.Sp. It was during his time that the chapel, laboratory and library block, as well as the priests’ quarters, were built.

The Pioneers who wrote the first General Certificate Examinations (G.C.E.) achieved gratifying results, motivating Fr. White to negotiate with the West African Examinations Council to approve the commencement of a limited number of Advanced Level Arts Subjects at St. Hubert Seminary. The subjects included Geography, Economics, Bible Knowledge, African Traditional Religion, English Literature and General Paper. The commencement of the Sixth Form subjects brought some seminarians from the dioceses of the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province to St. Hubert. With the introduction of the Sixth Form courses, the seminary population grew over the years to two hundred and thirty-five (235), covering seven classes and seminarians from the entire northern sector of Ghana, from Kumasi to the Wa and Navrongo-Bolgatanga Dioceses.

In May 1980, during the historic visit of Pope John Paul II to Ghana as part of the Ghanaian church’s Centenary celebrations, the Holy Father held separate meetings with the Ghana Bishops and the Bishops of West Africa at St. Hubert’s Seminary. The Holy Father also spoke to the seminarians encouraging them to persevere in their formation towards the priesthood.

Msgr. Gabriel Owusu Asare succeeded Fr. Joseph White, C.S.Sp. from 1980 to 1983. Msgr. Thomas Kofi Manu Denteh took over from 1983-1993 and was succeeded by Msgr. Stephen Osei-Duah as Rector from 1993 to date.

Following the phenomenal growth of the church especially in Ashanti and Brong Ahafo over the last three decades, the Kumasi Diocese was divided a second time in 1995, resulting in the erection of the Dioceses of Obuasi and Konongo- Mampong. Simultaneously, the Dioceses of Ho and Wa were also divided, giving birth to Jasikan and Keta-Akatsi as well as Damongo Dioceses respectively. The creation of the new dioceses of Sunyani in 1973 and Konogo-Mampong in 1995 also brought about the establishment of St. James Minor Seminary in Sunyani and St. Joseph in Mampong respectively. The present Kumasi Archdiocese and Obuasi Diocese, therefore, now mainly patronize St. Hubert Semnary. Some seminarians from Goaso, Damongo and Tamale occasionally do come to St. Hubert.

Following the introduction of the three year Senior Secondary School system in 1987 to replace the old seven-year Advanced Level, Msgr. Thomas Manu, the then Rector, and his team prudently decided to do a four year Senior Secondary Course at St. Hubert to give an extra year to help the greater majority of the seminarians who come from educationally deprived rural areas to cope with the new system. A couple of years later, the Bishops of the southern provinces of Cape Coast, Accra and Kumasi also decided to add another year after the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination to make up lapses in the new system as well as to help the young seminarians mature a little bit more before embarking on their Philosophical and Theological Studies in the major seminary. The additional year after the Senior Secondary School is called Post Senior Secondary School (Post SSS). Subjects taught in the Post SSS include Latin, English Language, Introduction to Scripture, Doctrine, Introduction to Spirituality, Vernacular and Introduction to Music. St. Hubert, therefore, now operates a four year Senior Secondary School system in General Arts and one year Post Senior Secondary School course.