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| The dignitaries with delegates |
Most Rev. Charles
Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra has challenged Catholic Priests
in the West African Sub-Region to commit to efforts to promote Ecumenism that
would foster growth of development in member countries.
Calling Priests to be
missionaries to Africa, he urged them to lead efforts in interreligious affairs,
as well as be at the forefront in building effective relations with civil
authorities in the sub-region to engender peace and help address the challenges
confronting many countries of West Africa and Africa at large.
The Archbishop, made the
observation at the opening of the 5th Congress of Regional Union of
Priests of West Africa at Koforidua, and entreated Priests to collaborate more
with their Bishops to ensure the attainment of growth and development.
He re-echoed the call of
Pope Paul VI to African Priests at Kamapala in 1969 at the formation of SECAM,
for Priests to be missionaries to Africans and to reach to the world.
“Start looking at yourselves as missionaries
to yourselves” the Archbishop said, urging Priests to be concerned with the
happening in the universal Church.
The Apostolic Nuncio to
Ghana, Most Rev. Jean Marie Spiech in address urged Priests to look at Mary as
their mother in discharge of their roles, entreating them to heed the
invitation of the Church to love and venerate Mary by imitating her virtues.
He said SINCE the Blessed
Virgin Mary was a perfect mother for Priests, they should reflect on her tender
care in the pilgrimage of our faith.
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| The delegates |
In an address, Very Rev.
Fr. Dr. Martin Onukwuba, President of RUPWA, recounted that the birth of the
association dates to November 2012, with a directives of Bishops of the joint
Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) to Priest from 11
countries within the sub region to hold a Constitutive Assembly of the
Association.
He commended the
Government and people of Ghana for the warm reception accorded the delegates,
and commended the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) for the preaching
peace and their support of development of the country.
“For us to gather and
operate on this level suggest that we want to contribute our quota to the
development of our region” he said.
Most Rev. Michael Ekwoy
Apochi, Bishop of Otupo and Episcopal Chairman of the RUPWA, assured the
Priests of the support of the Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa in
their celebration at the Congress.
He thanked the Ghana
Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Archdiocese of Accra and the Diocese of
Koforidua for their efforts in hosting the Congress.
Opening the Congress, Very
Rev. Prof. Francis Appiah-Kubi, President of National Union of Ghana Priest
Associations (NUGPA), said even though they are religious and Priests, they
were concerned about the regional integration of West African Countries.
He touched on the theme
for the conference, “Behold Your Mother:
Mary in the Heart of Priestly Ministry”, explained that as Children of
Mary, through whom the Church
The Congress attracted
over 50 delegates from 12 member countries of the West African Region. They include delegates from Benin, Burkina
Faso, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, The Gambia, Mali,
Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Ghana.
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