‘Desire to Support Caritas Ghana’

With high prospects of empowering more Ghanaians to achieve their developmental potentials, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Abbey-Quaye, Acting Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS), urged Catholics and people of goodwill to learn more about Caritas Ghana and support its work.

Fr. Abbey-Quaye

As the main vehicle of the Church’s development agenda, he called for full support for the progress of Caritas Ghana, noting that it stands for the total development of the people.

In an interview, the Acting Secretary General stated that the service of charity is at the heart of the Church’s nature and mission, and that Caritas Ghana will coordinate the Church’s efforts in the areas of health, education, livelihood support programme and other interventions in a holistic and systematic way.

Fr. Abbey-Quaye, highlighting the Church’s commitment to continue in a sustainable way the integral development of all people, he reiterated the Church’s readiness to bring together societies to setup foundations to cater for the needs of the poor, as well as encourage individuals to do same.

In the spirit of self-reliance, and the eminent drying up of donor funds for projects, the Acting Secretary General called for a paradigm shift and attitudinal change, urging people to embrace positive mind-set that we are capable of doing things for ourselves.

Stating that the service of charity does not mean the Church has do everything, Fr. Abbey-Quaye, reiterated the duty of the Church to lead the way to ensure the sustenance of the charity work.

He noted that the Church through Caritas Ghana would strive to maximise the donor funds they receive; and implement rigorous accountability regime to ensure the judicious use of funds and investments that will sustain the charity works of the Church in the long run.

Archbishop Anokye

This ties in with the vision of Caritas Africa to “…I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), which it’s President Most Rev. Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye, says he would ensure it is owned and implemented by everybody.

Said the Archbishop: “The mission to achieving this is surely to bring people to know it, talk about it more, form people and also commission people do precisely that… ensuring that we achieve our mission of reaching out in love to our brothers and sisters who are in need”.

Similarly, Most Rev. Gabriel Akwasi Ababio Mante, President of Caritas Ghana, stated that the official launch of the body 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.

Bishop Mante with some dignitaries lighting the Caritas Candle

For it breathe a new life and vitality for the Church’s charity, the Bishop stated that “the global management standards, code of ethics and code of conduct of staff of the Caritas Confederation would be the benchmarks that guide the operation of Caritas Ghana,” while the principle of Catholic Social Teachings will underpin its actions and relationships.

Caritas Ghana, with the emblem of the holy Cross of hope, has shown its readiness to empower the people of Ghana attain equitable development and help them live in freedom, peace and dignity.

It handles policy engagement and advocacy, livelihoods and social protection and emergency response, with specific areas including public policy advocacy, social research, relief services, education and health delivery service.

Other areas consists of Livelihood Promotion and Institutional Development and Capacity Strengthening.

As it is with every organisation, Rev. Fr. Abbey-Quaye, agrees there would be challenges in areas of staffing, managing relationships between the national Caritas, the Diocesan and Parish level structures, but added quickly that there are programmes in place to organise workshops and provide support for the Diocesan Caritas offices to work with the Caritas Agenda.

Likewise, Mr. Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana, has explained how Caritas Ghana was introducing the Caritas International (CI) Management Standards as a means of improving the management of the members which will also serve as a capacity building initiative, aimed at sharing knowledge and mutual continuous learning. 

The Management Standards which falls under Institutional Development and Capacity Strengthening (IDCS) drive of the Caritas Ghana, will empower and strengthen Diocesan structures to reform and be more innovative to seek funding.

Key innovative interventions

With effort to establish a systematic process to enhance its operations in the country, Caritas Ghana has adopted processes, including an effective engagement of the Government and other major stakeholders to among other things enhance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ghana. 

To do this, the Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana, states that the organisation will tackle two main objectives of increasing citizens’ awareness and participation in the implementation of the SDGs; and to contribute to achieving National level policy coherence and planning for the implementation of the SDGs.

The expected impact according to him, would be measured by increased citizens’ demand on government for implementation of the SDGs, especially around the 2016 General Elections; increased multi-stakeholder engagement on the proposed 40-year National Development Plan with key references to SDGs, targets and indicators in Ghana.

Caritas Ghana thus, proposes three key interventions during the period from June to December, 2016 as its contribution to civic engagement. This consists of preparing a national monitoring report on SDG Implementation status with a detailed terms of reference to be undertaken by qualified research Consultants using participatory action-research approach. 

Under the National Policy Engagement, schedule to take effect in September 2016, Caritas Ghana proposes to use the national monitoring report for a national policy engagement, which will involve diverse stakeholders from civil society, faith-based organisations, private sector and public institutions.

Moreover, Caritas Ghana in its proposed participation in Regional and International policy dialogue on follow up and review, intends to use the lessons learned from the initiatives to feed into Regional and International advocacy efforts for the implementation of the SDGs.

In line with this, Caritas Ghana Executive Secretary, Mr.  Akologo will be leading the Caritas Confederation delegation to participate in the July 10-20^th UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF), on follow up and review of the SDGs in New York.

The delegation would together with Alliance of Catholic Development Agencies (CIDSE) hold a side event to share Africa’s experience so for in the implementation of the SDGs.   

The Symposium for Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) Secretariat in Accra is expected to be involved to learn from the process and use its outcome for their advocacy at the AU level. Expectation are that outcome of the initiative will also feed into Caritas Africa and Caritas International advocacy efforts by hopefully representing those institutions in any Regional and International policy dialogue meetings on the SDGs.

Background 

Caritas Ghana (until now the Department of Human Development), was established in 1971 by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and now has twenty Diocesan Offices and four Directorates: Social Development, Education and Religious Education, Health and Governance, Justice and Peace.

Focused on Integrated and Holistic Human Centred Development, Caritas Ghana undertakes relevant service delivery projects within the country. This includes promoting self-help projects in agricultural development, rural health and micro-credit for small businesses and coordinates relief operations after emergencies, and work on public policy advocacy on behalf of the poor and the promotion of the common good.

FIRM FOUNDATION

Let your roots be firm,
Let your beliefs be firm,
Let your resolves be firm,
Let your faith be firm,
Let your foundation be firm.

Because very soon the torrential rains will pour,
The deadly waves will wave strongly,
The tides of temptation and tribulation will threaten,
Even self doubt and tiredness might set in,
Gossips and grandiose schemes might unsettle you,
Various vicious vipers might spit their venom on you,
Critical changes might come in life to test you,
Financial situations might hit you hard in the face,
 
But in all these remain rooted in your faith.
In all the challenges stay calm and keep your faith.
Feed your faith daily with prayer
And stay in communion with your maker.
Build a firm foundation with Jesus Christ at the Centre,
Nourish your faith with good and healthy exercises,
And you shall see the hand of the Lord in your life.

Because your foundation is strong and solid you shall live.
Because your foundation is firm you shall withstand all challenges.
Because your foundation is rooted on your trust in the Lord you shall prevail.
Because your foundation is well-founded your shall truimphand taste victory.

Keep an unwavering faith and trust the Lord to guide you on this course.
Remain Blessed

‘Be actors of peace’- Youth tasked

The Participants at the Workshop.

Catholic youth in the country have been charged to continue praying for and preaching peace among their peers and wherever they found themselves, to ensure greater peace in the country, before, during and after the November 7 polls.

Mrs. Abigail Nutakor, Head of Gender and Disability at the Electoral Commission, urged the youth to desist from acts that will lead to electoral violence.

She was speaking at a day’s workshop organised by the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Apostolate of the Society of the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) in Ghana for Catholic youth from some parishes in the Accra Archdiocese.

The youth were advised not to allow themselves to be used by any politician to foment troubles during the elections, since electoral violence could pose a great threat to the national peace and development.

Mrs. Nutakor, who underscored the need for all stakeholders to do their bit to ensure peace, counselled the youth to “reject any enticement to act violently” and not allow themselves to be used to cause trouble in the run up to the elections.

 “As Catholic youth, you have a duty to work to preserve the peace in the country” she said, charging them to be pacesetters to preserve peace in the country.

To ensure greater peace and development, she urged the youth to be rational in the choices they make with regards to who they vote for

She highlighted the essential role the catholic youth could play in voter education, promoting tolerance among the public and safeguarding themselves against any action that could cause conflict

“No politician’s ambitions are worth scarifying your life or years of your life in a prison,” Mrs. Nutakor cautioned, entreating the youth to be peace builders in their societies and communities, protect their future and shun electoral violence.

Rev. Fr. Alex Awuah-Osei, SVD, Team member of the Biblical Pastoral Ministry of the SVD, noted that peace building goes beyond strategies, adding that reconciliation is spirituality and a process that must be nurtured.

Touching on Justice and Peace based on the Biblical Teachings, Fr Awuah-Osei quoted extensively from the Book of Genesis, tracing the fall of man in the Garden of Eden as the root cause of absence of peace in the world

He cited the various conflicts chronicled in the Book and noted the plague of fraternal strife between Cain and Abel (Gen. 4: 1-16), Abram and Lot (Gen. 13:1-7) and between Jacob and Esau.

Fr. Awuah-Osei, stated that failure to live and let the other leave, taking undue advantage of those in need, corruption in the society, were some of the causes of conflicts in the society.

In entreating the youth to pray and preach peace to all, he urged Ghanaians to seek reconciliation with God, with themselves, with others and with nature in order to secure lasting peace.

    

Rev. Bro. Oswald Bangfo, SVD, member of the JPIC, Provincial Ad monitor of the SVD in Ghana, stressed the essence of peace in Ghana during and after the election.

In a keynote address, he noted that election should not lead to violence, adding that Ghanaians should back the election process with prayers. 

“As we pray for peace, let act peacefully,” he stated, and urged Ghanaians to cultivate the attitude of celebrating whoever emerges winner in the elections.

The workshop, held at the St. Arnold Janssen Spirituality Centre at Tuba, in the Accra Archdiocese, attracted participants from Divine Word Catholic Church, Tuba, Holy Family Parish, Mataheko, Ss. Peter and Paul, New Weija, St. Karol, St. Charles Luwanga, Abeka; Star of the Sea Church, and St. Margret Mary Parish, both at Dansoman. 

Organisers who distributed leaflets with texts highlighting what the youth should do to promote peace, noted that the programme will be replicated in other areas. 

Background

The Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation Apostolate of the Divine Word Missionaries, aims at promoting justice and peace in solidarity with the poor and oppressed in our society.

To do this the society, seeks to use a constant process of conscientising people with a critical analysis on the socio-political situation; as well as promote justice through the effective educational programmes and educational institutions and through their communal approach to evangelisation and efforts of the Communication apostolate.