Blessed Sacrament Church now Parish
The Blessed Sacrament Church at Abelenkpe in the Accra Archdiocese, has been canonically erected to the status of a Parish with the installation of Rev. Fr. Peter Hesse as its first Parish Priest.
Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, who declared the 33 years old Church a Parish, also confirmed 52 Parishioners at the Mass. Concelebrants at the Mass were Rev. Fr. Kibrom Tseggai, Associate Priest; Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obeng Codjoe, Assistant Priest of the St. Dominic Church at Taifa and Fr. Hesse.
Archbishop Palmer Buckle told Fr. Hesse to consider his installation not as an honour but a call to service, reminding him of his responsibility to ensure the spiritual growth and development of the Parish and the faithful. He presented the keys to the Church and the tabernacle to him after professing his faith and taking the Oath of Obedience, saying that it was symbolic of the authority given to St. Peter over the Church. He also reminded the Parish of its responsibility to start small Catholic Communities and nurture them to grow into Parishes.
The Archbishop urged the faithful to respond to God’s call with enthusiasm and participate actively in Church programmes, encouraging them to be committed and support their Priest. He advised the Confirmandi to build intimate relationships with God and hold on to the Catholic faith so that they are not lured into leaving the Church. Coinciding with Fathers’ Day, the Local Ordinary advised fathers to take full responsibility for their families and bring up their children in the Catholic faith and in the fear of God.
The Parish presented to the Archbishop gifts and a token amount as well a birth/father’s day cake. Cultural displays by some youth of the Church added colour to the celebration. Earlier, the Archbishop had dedicated the Our Lady Queen of the Family Grotto for the Parish at a Mass and urged Parishioners to use it as their prayer centre for unity and peace in families, reports Damian Avevor.
The dedication ceremony was part of activities for the three-day pastoral visit of the Archbishop.
In a homily, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle called on the faithful to appreciate the importance of the Grotto in the Catholic Church. He said putting up Grottos was a tradition that reminded Catholics of the birth of Jesus in a humble place. He prayed that the Grotto would be a place for the Parishioners to encounter God through Mother Mary, who is the Queen of families.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle urged Catholics to pray for families that were under attack. The Grotto dedication Mass was concelebrated by four Priests including Fr. Hesse, who thanked Mrs. Magdalene Addae for solely financing its construction.
He commended Parishioners who played various roles in the Grotto project, especially, Mr. Michael Tetteh, for financing the construction of the pavement.
Fr. Hesse expressed the hope that the Grotto would increase love for devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
*The Archbishop being assisted by Fr. Tseggai to install Fr. Hesse. (inset) The dedicated Grotto.
By Angela Ofosu Boateng and Kwadwo Kusi-Appiah
Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, who declared the 33 years old Church a Parish, also confirmed 52 Parishioners at the Mass. Concelebrants at the Mass were Rev. Fr. Kibrom Tseggai, Associate Priest; Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obeng Codjoe, Assistant Priest of the St. Dominic Church at Taifa and Fr. Hesse.
Archbishop Palmer Buckle told Fr. Hesse to consider his installation not as an honour but a call to service, reminding him of his responsibility to ensure the spiritual growth and development of the Parish and the faithful. He presented the keys to the Church and the tabernacle to him after professing his faith and taking the Oath of Obedience, saying that it was symbolic of the authority given to St. Peter over the Church. He also reminded the Parish of its responsibility to start small Catholic Communities and nurture them to grow into Parishes.
The Archbishop urged the faithful to respond to God’s call with enthusiasm and participate actively in Church programmes, encouraging them to be committed and support their Priest. He advised the Confirmandi to build intimate relationships with God and hold on to the Catholic faith so that they are not lured into leaving the Church. Coinciding with Fathers’ Day, the Local Ordinary advised fathers to take full responsibility for their families and bring up their children in the Catholic faith and in the fear of God.
The Parish presented to the Archbishop gifts and a token amount as well a birth/father’s day cake. Cultural displays by some youth of the Church added colour to the celebration. Earlier, the Archbishop had dedicated the Our Lady Queen of the Family Grotto for the Parish at a Mass and urged Parishioners to use it as their prayer centre for unity and peace in families, reports Damian Avevor.
The dedication ceremony was part of activities for the three-day pastoral visit of the Archbishop.
In a homily, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle called on the faithful to appreciate the importance of the Grotto in the Catholic Church. He said putting up Grottos was a tradition that reminded Catholics of the birth of Jesus in a humble place. He prayed that the Grotto would be a place for the Parishioners to encounter God through Mother Mary, who is the Queen of families.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle urged Catholics to pray for families that were under attack. The Grotto dedication Mass was concelebrated by four Priests including Fr. Hesse, who thanked Mrs. Magdalene Addae for solely financing its construction.
He commended Parishioners who played various roles in the Grotto project, especially, Mr. Michael Tetteh, for financing the construction of the pavement.
Fr. Hesse expressed the hope that the Grotto would increase love for devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
*The Archbishop being assisted by Fr. Tseggai to install Fr. Hesse. (inset) The dedicated Grotto.
By Angela Ofosu Boateng and Kwadwo Kusi-Appiah
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