The Catholic Church in Ghana has pledged to
intensify its charity work in the country through the Caritas Ghana brand it
launched yesterday at the International Press Centre in Accra.
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| Bishop Mante being assisted by Fr. Afriyie to light the Candle |
Most Rev. Gabriel A. A. Mante, President of
Caritas Ghana, lighting a candle to symbolise the official launch of the new
body, prayed that the light would symbolise the recreation and serve as a
reminder of the Church’s commitment to shed sunshine on the darkness in
governance, ineptitude in public services and opacity in public policies.
The Bishop noted that with the launch, the
Church was taking her achievement to another level by establishing legal and
institutional framework for her service of charity.
By adopting the Caritas as a global and credible
brand, the Ghana Bishops’ Conference has taken steps to protect the Caritas
trade and service mark in Ghana, which is now a legally recognised organisation
for the Catholic Church in Ghana.
The prelate, who is Bishop of the Catholic
Diocese of Jasikan, stated that the launch of Caritas Ghana, introduces
significant changes in standard and quality of the social services that the
Church has rendered to humanity over the years, in areas of health, education,
livelihoods, relief and incomes.
Mr. Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary of
Caritas Ghana, noted that the occasion was to “unveil the Catholic Church’s
plans, structure and framework to respond more vigorously and zealously the
challenges of Ghana’s development and public policy making, in the context of
our faith conviction.”
He said by formalising its existence in Ghana,
the Catholic Church signals to Government of Ghana and Development Partners,
her readiness to domesticate and replicate the benefits of mutually rewarding
partnership in the context of Ghana’s development needs.
According to the Executive Secretary and head of
the Department of Human Development at the National Catholic Secretariat, the
event was about partnership building and networking in the spirit of promoting
effective development cooperation.
“This means the Church is adding and
contributing to civil society activism in Ghana. It also means extending the
opportunities and possibilities of existing cooperation for development to
Ghana through Caritas,” he added.
Caritas Ghana, with the general theme and
slogan: Good Works; Generosity, Sharing,
has among other objectives the promotion of effective institutional structures
and functioning of the church’s service of charity at National, Diocesan and
Parish levels.
It will also promote the Catholic Church’s
Socio-pastoral work as a means of expressing the Gospel message and the social
doctrine of the Church to the world, and equally contribute to the enhancement
of dignity of the human person; especially the poor and the marginalised. This
will be attained through their direct empowerment and representation where they
are excluded.
Caritas Ghana is also poised to consolidate the
successes of the Catholic Church’s mission of charity and undertake social action
research as a means to improve social-service delivery in the country.
In a welcome address, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel
Abbey-Quaye, Assistant Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat
in Accra, explained that Caritas Ghana “will be a new and innovative way by
which the Church in Ghana will carry out the mission of service to charity.”
He stated that the new body will help people
appreciate the remarkable work done by the Church and those yet to be done in
terms of provision of social services to address the needs of the poor.
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| Bishop Mante with dignitaries at the launch |
The Chairperson of the launch, Barrister Elizabeth
Anderson-Yebuah, expressed the hope that Caritas Ghana will continue to support
the cause of development.
Very Rev. Nicholas Afriyie, Secretary General of
the National Catholic Secretariat, and staff as well as representatives from
Catholic Relief Service, STAR-Ghana, UNHCR, European Union and the Spokesperson
of the National Chief Imam were in attendance.
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