Dr. Gabriel Amoateng-Boahen was born to the Late Opanin Peter Kofi Amoateng (went to be with the Lord in February 1978) and the Late Maame Veronica Yaa Afrah (transitioned to Glory on March 19, 2013; 35 years after the death of my father) of Kintampo, Brong Ahafo-Ghana. He stared school at the age 7 at the Bodom Presbyterian Primary School and Effia Methodist Primary (near the Port City of Takoradi). Gabriel returned to Kintampo in 1962 to continue his education at the Baffoe Local Authority Primary and Middle Schools at Kintampo where he was the Junior Prefect and Senior Prefect respectively (1962-1967). In 1967, Gabriel passed the Common Entrance Examination and gained admission to the Obuasi Secondary Technical School (1967-1972). From 1972-1974, Gabriel successfully completed his Post-Secondary Teacher Training College education at Berekum, Brong Ahafo, and was posted to Ahafo Kenyasi II Catholic Primary School and few weeks later transferred to Ahafo Hwidiem Catholic Primary School where Gabriel taught from 1974-1984. Gabriel studied privately and passed the Advanced Level Examination and gained admission to pursue his undergraduate studies at the University of Science and Technology (now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) in Kumasi-Ghana from 1984-1987 and obtained his Bachelor of Arts in the Social Sciences. From 1987-1989, Gabriel did the mandatory National Service at the newly established Community Improvement Unit (CIU) at the Konongo District Office. Gabriel had a "desert experience" from 1990-1991 as he discerned God's Plan for his life and also volunteered at the "infant" Maranatha Maternity Clinic (now Maranatha Hospital) at Asuoyeboa-Kumasi. Gabriel was the Diocesan Development Coordinator for the Sunyani Catholic diocese in 1991 and later became the Headmaster for the St Louis Junior Secondary School at Mbrom-Kumasi from 1992-1994. In May 1995, he became the first-ever Headmaster and Co-founder of the Maranatha International School (now Maranatha Young Apostles) at Daban Panin-Kumasi. This school was established on sound Christian principles with the Motto: "Holistic Child Development" to demonstrate the harmonious interplay among hand, head and heart (body/physical, head/mind/soul, and heart/the spirit of the human person- 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Proverbs 9:10 and Proverbs 22:6 were our key Biblical verses and both staff and students lived by the precepts of God's Word. Gabriel arrived in New York on May 31, 2001, to pursue Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the Hospital of St Raphael in New Haven, Connecticut, USA and thereafter proceeded to the Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in Chicago, Illinios, USA for the Masters in Pastoral Studies Program (MAPS) from 2004-2007. Gabriel is a Certified Professional Staff Chaplain at the University of Chicago Medical Center and also the President and Founder of the Royal Diadem Pastoral Center in Chicago and Kumasi-Ghana. Gabriel had a personal encounter and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in June 1972 and ever since that time has remained resolute and uncompromising with his Christian faith and has great passion for soul-winning. Gabriel has varied ministerial experiences. He was a member of the Scripture Union, Ghana (especially in the Ahafo and Sunyani areas); from 1974-1984, he was the Church Secretary for the Holy Spirit Catholic Church at Ahafo Hwidiem. During the same period, he was the Founder and first Secretary of the Ahafo Hwidiem Christian Fellowship. Gabriel was the Secretary to the first-ever Ghana Catholic School of Evangelization organized by Germany and Malta teams and hosted by the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kumasi-Ghana in 1992. At the Catholic Charismatic Renewal front, Gabriel was a founding member of Mission 2000, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal Prayer Group with focus on Catholic adults and professionals. He is the current Coordinator of the Ghanaian Catholic Charismatic Renewal Prayer Group at St Ambrose in Chicago and also a member of Ghana Catholic Charismatic Renewal-North America Leadership Coordinating Team (appointed Director for Missions in June 2013 at the first-ever National Annual Convention in Virginia). Gabriel is a founding member of the Ghanaian Catholic Community of Chicago and also the Founder and Coordinator of the Prayer Conference for the Catholic Community as well as Christian Leaders for Tomorrow Prayer Conference (youth- focused with Daniel 11:32b as theme verse: They that know their God shall be strong and do exploits). He is the Marriage Counselor for the local Catholic Community of Chicago and also for some Ghanaians in Chicago. Gabriel is the Chaplain for the Brong Ahafo Association of Chicago and the Keynote Speaker at the Conference of Brong Ahafo Associations of North America (COBAANA) in 2011. Gabriel has strong ecumenical inclination and deeply involved in the activities of the Council of Ghanaian Churches in Chicago where he is the current Vice President. Gabriel takes a lot of inspiration from Evangelist Dr Billy Graham. He is Gabriel's "spiritual mentor" and has twice attended the Billy Graham Schools of Evangelism in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (2002) and Kansas City, Missouri, USA (2004). Gabriel was in Singapore in 2000 for the Advanced Leadership Training for Christian Leaders from developing countries. He is a member of these Professional Associations: National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), Spiritual Direction International (SDI), and others. Gabriel is the Representative for the University of Chicago Medical Center at the Kenwood-Hyde Park Interfaith Council (2010-2014). On March 27, 1977, Gabriel and Mrs. Agatha Amoateng-Boahen were joined together in Holy Matrimony at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church at Ahafo Hwidiem and now live peacefully and happily with their eight children: Mrs. Veronica Amoateng Antwi, Rev Sampson Amoateng, Rev Dr. Mark Amoateng, MD, Rev Daniel Amoateng, Rev Brian Amoateng, Christabel Jessica Amoateng, Davina Amoateng, and Gabriel Amoateng Badu, Jr.
