Christ’s faithful from the eight Parishes of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom converged at St. Paul Catholic Church, Bonkrom, a Mission Station of St. Joseph Parish, Maame Krobo, in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District, Eastern Ghana for the celebration of this year’s Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The 3-day celebration from August 16 to 18, 2024 featured a number of activities which included climbing the Bonkrom Mountain accompanied by Rosary recitation and Stations of the Cross, procession across the village with the statue of Our Lady, and climaxed by a Solemn Holy Mass at the Church compound.
Other activities during the celebration included talks on Mary, the Model of Prayer and Causes, Prevention and management of Stroke, delivered by Rev. Gabriel Dabo-Gyamfi, a deacon of the Vicariate and Mr. Kotoh Ernest, Physician Assistant at Holy Rosary Health Centre Amankwakrom, respectively.
There were also moments of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Confessions, as well as fundraising to continue with the toilet facility project at the Church compound to serve the purpose of pilgrims, among other activities.
The Sunday, August 18 Assumption Mass, which was shifted from the traditional August 15, was officiated by the Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, and concelebrated by eight priests and two deacons, all from the Vicariate.
In a homily, the Bishop intimated that the celebration of Mary’s assumption into heaven is meant “to strengthen our hope that it will be so for us one day”. He continued by pointing out the great promise Jesus made to his disciples; that those who are united with him in the likeness of death will also share with him in his resurrection.
He however underscored that there is a difference between the rest of humankind and Mary. He said “in the case of Mary, she did not have to wait until the end of the world to be received into heaven; but we have to wait. This is because we are conceived in sin, but Mary was conceived without sin, and remained sinless all through her life”.
Bishop Asiedu further underpinned that humanity is destined to live for all eternity with God.
“Our faith teaches us that death is not the end of everything; eternal life awaits us after our departure from this life,” the Prelate said, noting that such is our faith and what we hope for.
Drawing the attention of the faithful to the First Reading from the Book of Revelation, the prelate underlines that the reading serves as a reassurance to God’s people in time of persecution. He added that the mention of a woman in the reading refers in the first place to the Church, and then, to Mary.
“It indicates that the Church, the family of God, will survive the Roman attack mounted against her. God will eventually deliver his people, the Church, from the evil plot and destruction planned against her by the enemy, the Romans,” he explained.
“The woman we hear about refers also to Mary, who is the mother of the Messiah, mother of the Church and most perfect Christian disciple,” the bishop continued. “Mary gives the world the Saviour par excellence, the Son of God who has defeated our greatest and bitterest enemy: sin and death, and claimed us for God,” he buttressed.
Reflecting further on the theme of the celebration which was “Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart (Lk. 2:19), Bishop Asiedu portrayed Mary as a woman of few words, patient, never impulsive, argumentative nor a gossip, as seen at the Annunciation, the birth of Jesus, during Jesus’ infancy and during his public ministry.
“Mary stored in her heart things she could not understand or fully comprehend, and pondered over them, reflected on them, prayed over them. She put into meditation and contemplation all the things, situations and events that beat her understanding and imagination, and sought for divine enlightenment. She showed tremendous patience and never rushed through things”, the Bishop underscored.
Bishop Asiedu charged the faithful to learn from Mary’s example that to be chosen by God means at one and the same time a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow.
He remarked that “God does not choose a person for ease and comfort and selfish joy, but for a task that will take all that head and heart and hand can bring to it”.
He added that when God does choose someone for his purpose, the sorrows and hardships that serving God may bring are not matters of lamentation, regret or disappointment, but rather, glory; for all is suffered for God.
“Our Mother Mary invites and encourages us to learn from her attitude to life: to store all things and ponder over them in our heart,” the bishop said.
“Let us note that Jesus Christ came not to make life easy, but to make us great,” he added, urging that the prayer of every Christian should be “may God deny me peace and give me glory”.
Among the dignitaries present for the Assumption Mass was Nana Kofi Acheampong I, the Chief Bonkrom, and his entourage. Speaking on his behalf, Mr. Michael Jordan, former Assembly man, pledged support of the Church project.
“We are all here to put our supports together for God’s kingdom ‘business,” he said on the chief’s behalf. “Myself and my elders, it is our business to make sure that whatever you have started, we will be with you to the end,” he added.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains South District, Honourable Joseph Appiah Boateng, was represented for the ceremony by Madam Emelia Assibi Amadu, Parish Pastoral Council Chairperson of St. Fidelis Parish, Tease.
Others present were religious women representing the four female religious Congregations in the Vicariate.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom)
