The Secular Franciscan Order has admitted 27 Brothers and Sisters to the Permanent Profession of the Rule during a Mass at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at Awoshie- Anyaa in Accra.
During the celebration, the 27 lay men and women publicly expressed their intention and interest in observing the holy gospel of Jesus Christ by following the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi.
Friar Eugene Antwi Boasiako, OFM. Conv., Parish Priest of the Christ the King Parish, Effiakuma, Takoradi who was the main celebrant during the Mass confirmed the new members and prayed for them to be committed to the Secular Franciscan Order.
In his homily, Friar Eugene advised the new members to be committed to the order because they willingly applied for the membership in their own accord to follow the steps of St. Francis of Assisi.
He said, “You applied in your own words, in your own hand writing before you’ve been accepted to follow the footsteps of the Lord, to live the holy gospel according to the footsteps of Francis of Assisi. You applied to live fully the holy gospel, the good example of Francis of Assisi and our mother St. Clare”.
He also added that after their Permanent Profession their lives will be set as an example for others to look up to.
“From today, the way you talk in church, in your home, and at work, people will be looking up to you to understand the kind of life you want to live. It is not only by what you say but by how you live your life henceforth”, he said.
Citing St. Francis of Assisi, he noted that people did not understand him when he begun his way of life and “people may think that you are crazy to say that you want to live the gospel of life.”
He also challenged them to demonstrate the power in the word of God, urging them to always be humble.
“If you humble yourselves you will find favor with God and by your ways you will attract more members to join the Secular Franciscan Order. Be humble and teach people how to be humble. If you are humble you will be imitating Francis of Assisi who humbled himself”, he urged.
Friar Eugene Antwi Boasiako reminded the new members that the Secular Franciscan Order is a way of life and they must accept it as their Franciscan life.
The Franciscan Third Order, today officially known as the Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis (OFS), begun in the 13th century from the inspiration of St. Francis of Assisi who also founded the First Order (Friars Minor) and the Second Order (Poor Clares).
St. Francis of Assisi also inspired lay people, both married and single, who wished to live his spirit of simplicity, penance, and fraternity while remaining in the world.
In Ghana, the order begun in 2020 which was inspired by the case of lay aspirant Nicholas Ackah, who had received formation with the Order in Togo but could not continue in Ghana.
It was brought before the Conference of Franciscan Major Superiors and under the leadership of Friar Eugene Antwi Boasiako, OFM Conv., a four-member committee; Friar Moses Arthur (OFM Conv.), Friar Mawuli (OFM), and Sis. Immaculate and Cynthia (FMM), was formed to lay the foundations of the Secular Franciscan Order in Ghana.
By: Veronica Sena Amenya.
