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DE NOORD GHANESE KERKPROVINCIE VAN TAMALE: Navrongo en Bolgatanga nemen het voortouw met de feestelijke herdenking van 100 jaar genadegaven!


N.B. Bekijk het logo dat voor de festiviteiten ontworpen is. Klik hier.

Mei 2006. Dit artikel is in het engels. Klik hier voor de nederlandse tekst!


The Tamale Ecclesiastical Province of the Catholic Church in Ghana have officially kicked off their celebrations of 100 years of the Missionary effort in northern Ghana; an effort marked with variable forms of experiencing and celebrating Encounter, Dialogue, Sacraments, Justice and Peace, all summing up the one vision of Evangelisation. The theme of the celebrations is '100 years of grace'. Activities marking these celebrations are scheduled to take place in the four dioceses of the Church in the Northern region, from May 2006 to April 2007. The Navrongo-Bolgatanga diocese takes the lead in these celebrations, since Navrongo is the cradle of the Catholic Church in the Northern Region.

May 25. In his homily marking the solemn opening ceremony on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, the main celebrant and local Ordinary of Navrongo-Bolgatanga diocese, Most Rev. Lucas Abadamloora, reiterated the theme of 'The Mission of the Universal Church' as proclaimed in the Gospel according to Matthew(Mtt.28:19). For him, the Church in this part of Ghana has been the fruit of the efforts of the founding Fathers (and Mothers! - addition and emphasis, mine) in their obedience to our Lord's command: "Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations…" And, "After having become the beneficiaries of this great command", he insisted, "We too are equally tasked to become evangelizers to one another".

The Ghana-Nigeria Provincial of the Missionaries of Africa, Very Rev. Fr Francis Bomansaan, who came already inspired, was inspired all the more on hearing the Bishop's challenge to the people of God. And the provincial response to that was yet another gift; or rather the same old and eternal gift offered yet again - The Bible and a local violin - to Bishop Abadamloora on behalf of the Society. Shakespeare says, "If music be the food of love, play on…" And Francis seems say 'since you have found the Gospel good for your soul, keep dancing'! Following this good example Rev. Sr. Gisela, the Superior General of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa, also presented a burning candle to her colleague of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI). And one could not help seeing, with the eyes of faith (of course) the 'Old Man' Lavigerie, give an impish smile with an emphatic 'YES!' from the great beyond.

May 26 was a 'remembrance day' in honour of the early 'Missionaries and local Evangelisers', "through whose toil, sacrifices, and sweat we have had the message of salvation bequeathed to us'(see Centenary Brochure p.14). Holy Masses were celebrated simultaneously in five locations of the diocese, namely Kongo, Bolgatanga, Wiaga, Navrongo, and Bongo, each presided by a Bishop. Bishop Abadamloora expressed gratitude to God for "many favours and graces" received. And he went on to count these blessings, naming them one-by-one!


-For choosing us to be associated with Jesus, be baptised in Jesus and be disciples of Jesus.
-Being holy - imitating Jesus - with hearts reborn to do good which is only possible by the grace of God.
-For the forgiveness of sins granted us by God.
-That we count ourselves fortunate that we know God and can call God our father.
-Because we no longer live in darkness and ignorance.
-With God as common Father, we are brothers and sisters cutting across races

He further went ahead to shower blessings on "the messengers who have brought us the Good news - Missionaries who are instruments of the Good news" and are still spreading it today: "We are thinking of Missionaries who came 100 years ago" - Missionaries of Africa, and the successive arrivals every decade such as Missionary sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA), SMI, SVD, SHCJ, Sisters of Charity of St Anne, Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Lay Missionaries, Catechists trained by the missionaries and who remain close associates of priests.

To him there are still many gaps for the mission to continue. "We want more", he said, but not without emphasising the need for "Our local cooperation…because no single hand can manage the mission".

The climax of the day was the Diocesan Centenary Award to many men and women who have played prominent roles in the spread of the Gospel, from the bell ringer to the oldest living Catholic who still plays the role of beating the drums during the Eucharistic consecration. He is about 90 years young! The anti-climax is the procession after Holy Mass, led by the Bishop, to the cemetery where two Missionaries of Africa were led to rest. Both died before the age of forty. Their gospel deeds still live after them!

May 27 saw everybody back together at the co-cathedral of Navrongo. The Holy Mass was presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, His grace, George Kocherry. "We are in a festive mood", he declared, to give words to the multitude of colours, the rhythm of the drums, the ululations of the never-tiring women mostly dressed in their centenary cloth, the stamping and waist-wriggling of the dancing girls; with the altar 'decorated' with eight bishops, scores of priests, and innumerable Mass servers.

Like the papal messenger that he is, the Nuncio found an opportune moment to take everybody back in spirit to the seat of the catholic faith - Rome. "I am happy to announce to you that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has raised this church to the status of a minor basilica…This church from now on will be called Our lady of Seven Sorrows Basilica", he emphasised, amidst applause and further ululations echoed by local fireworks and canons.

According to the Nuncio, actual evangelisation is bringing Jesus to people. He congratulated Bishop Abadamloora for working strenuously to obtain the basilica (status) (built by the Missionaries of Africa with local materials!). He explained the conditions for a church to qualify as a basilica such as its historical and religious importance, architectural design and its approval for liturgical life. "The Church of Navrongo fulfils all these conditions. It is the mother church of the North in which the first Holy Mass was celebrated by the Missionaries of Africa. It should gradually become a spiritual renewal centre" because "a basilica is a diocesan centre for formation in liturgy, retreat and popular piety", he taught.

Further in his message, the Nuncio reminded the people of God the importance of these 100 years of grace which he said have come with special gifts from the Holy Father: a new Cardinal, a basilica for spiritual renewal and liturgical formation and a Monstrance, to promote Eucharistic adoration. With the status of a basilica, the church has a special link with the See of Peter. It has the privilege to fly the Vatican flag!

May 28 marks the final day of this solemn opening ceremony in Navrongo. This time the liturgy was presided over by Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson. With the theme of the Promise of the Spirit, we realise that "The Mission is not yet over, and by the prompting of the same Holy Spirit, we are equally invited to spread the faith" (Cent. Brochure p.17).

The highlights of this day were the Papal Awards, one of which went to Very Rev. Fr. Hugo van Haute, M.Afr. We remember that Hugo sometime this year celebrated his 50 years of ordination to the priesthood.

And we cannot but move on with the Centenary anthem:

Lord, we thank you for the hundred years of grace'
We worship you, Your name we praise.
We adore you, O Lord our God,
We worship you; we praise your name…

Lord we thank you…and say Amen.

Malachy Nwanalobi Oleru



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