16 Catholic priests ordained for the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra
Sr. Alberta Rabbles, HDR
Depsocom, Accra
Saturday, 24th August 2024 would forever be remembered in the history of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra in general and the St. Bakhita Parish in particular. This is because, on this day, sixteen deacons were ordained into the Catholic priesthood by His Eminence Peter Cardinal Kodwo Appiah Turkson, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in Rome.
Out of the sixteen newly ordained priests, one of them had his formation at the St. Augustine Major Seminary, Sahakpaligu and St. Victor’s Major Seminary, Malshegu, all in Tamale. The others had their formation at the St. Paul’s Major Seminary, Sowutuom in Accra and St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Pedu in Cape Coast. The newly ordained priests are from five deaneries of the archdiocese that is, seven from the Kpehe deanery, four from the Kaneshie deanery, two from the Tema deanery, two from the Mamprobi deanery, and one from the Osu deanery. Four of these newly ordained priests came from St. Kizito Parish, Nima.
On behalf of the parish pastoral council chairman, Princilla Amaning-Kwarteng, a young lady dressed as St. Bakhita, in a simple ceremony, welcomed all gathered and encouraged all to participate fully, actively and consciously in the celebration as they pray for the deacons to be ordained.
Giving the homily, his eminence Peter Cardinal Kodwo Appiah Turkson told the congregation that the priesthood is not reserved for the deacons alone. It is what we all share in by virtue of our baptism and the common faith we share in Jesus Christ. “God chooses some to constitute as guides and helpers to us to be able to live a life of holiness, the life of prayer, and the life of priest into the lord” he added.
He continued by saying that this faith in Jesus which has made us all into a holy priesthood before God our father, is what the deacons also share in already. For the sake of what all of us must become as a people holy to the Lord, God chooses some already baptized into Christ and entrust to them a special teaching and graces to be able to sustain the rest with his people. This means only one thing that is, these 16 newly ordained priests are already part of us (faithful), they share the priesthood that we already have, and from that, they have chosen to receive special training and grace of God to be able sustain, maintain and help us grow in holiness to God our father.
He also advised the newly ordained priests to be trustworthy before God. They must be trustworthy to the people they would serve because the people they would serve have to obey their directives. As priests, they are going to teach the faithful and must be an example to them. They must direct them on the right path. This can only happen when the faithful find them trustworthy, he stated. There is only one priesthood and that is what they are coming to share in. They will share in the priesthood of the archbishop, he added. The cardinal emphasized the point that the goal and the objective of the priesthood is to be faithful in the household of God in unity with the bishop.
Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, the metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, thanked the main celebrant and ordaining bishop, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Kodwo Appiah Turkson, for his homily and ordaining the sixteen new priests for the Catholic archdiocese of Accra. By this 2024 priestly ordination, the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has a total of 176 priests out of which 35 are working and studying out of the country. He also thanked the parish priest of St. Bakhita, Rev. Fr. Hilary Agbenosi and his assistant, Rev Fr. James Danso Gyekye, the PPC, local organizing committee and the entire community of St. Bakhita Parish for organizing and hosting the 2024 priestly ordination. He finally advised all priests working in the archdiocese to celebrate the Holy Mass with decorum and sanctity because the Holy Mass is not for the individual to decide what he wants to do when he wants.
Most Rev. Anthony N. Asare, the auxiliary bishop of Accra, read the appointment of the newly ordained priests. The PPC Chairman, Mr. Paul Nafrah on behalf of the parish presented gifts to the newly ordained priests and extended their appreciation to His Eminence Peter cardinal Kodwo Appiah Turkson for gracing the occasion. He made a presentation to the archbishop, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, and his auxiliaries, Most Rev Anthony Narh Asare and Most Rev. John Kobina Louis.
One of the newly ordained priests, Rev. Fr. Michael Dziwornu Etsey on behalf of the newly ordained priests rendered the vote of thanks.
The colorful celebration was well attended by faithful across the archdiocese including the priests, religious, seminarians, invited guests, and parishioners from the parishes of the newly ordained priests, their family members, well-wishers, and parishioners of St. Bakhita parish, Lashibi. It was also followed by many on the social media platforms of St. Bakhita, Depsocom, and Corpus Christi.
