It was an emotional moment for the parishioners of the St. Mary Mother of God Catholic Church, Adeemra, in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, Afram Plains, Eastern Region of Ghana, as they gathered for Sunday Mass on November 3, 2024 to bid farewell to their Parochial Vicar, Rev. Fr. James Wormenor Kwaku Sedem, SVD, who had worked with them for barely three months before his transfer.
The heavily attended send-off Mass was officiated by Fr. Wormenor himself, and concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Dionisius Kopong, SVD, Parish Priest and Rev. Fr. Sofronio Endoma, SVD, Priest-in- charge of the Island Missions of the Vicariate, representing the District Head of the SVDs in the Afram Plains, Rev. Fr. Vincent Amuzu, Asafo.
According to Fr. Kopong, it was shocking news for him when he was informed that Fr. James was going to be transferred, because, he said, “When he came, I was preparing to go for home leave. I worked with him for three days before I left him alone for three months.
When I came back, we were discussing on how to move forward in our pastoral apostolate but he was also due to leave the Parish for language course,” adding that news of Fr. James’ transfer came to him while the latter was still on the Twi language course.
Fr. Kopong continued by underlining the fact that though shocking and painful as it was to have had to bid farewell to a confrere after a very brief stay, he has to accept the will of God, which comes across to them, SVDs, through the voice of their Provincial Superior, and by the Vow of Obedience, they are bound go wherever they are missioned.
Making further reference to Mt. 8:20 “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head,” he accentuated that as a missionary, Fr. James after having experienced life in the Afram Plains, has to move to another place to extend God’s love to persons most in need of it.
According to him, Fr. Wormenor’s transfer was occasioned by the fact that there was a more pressing need to be attended to:
“Fr. James is going to work with our ‘neighbours’, the lepers at the Leprosarium Centre in Weija, Accra,” he expressed, adding that their senior confrere Fr. Campbell, who has been working there with the cured lepers from the very beginning of the Center, 50 years ago, now needs assistance.
“That is why Fr. James has to be transferred from here,” he emphasised.
He also announced that another SVD Priest, Rev. Fr. Godfred Koranteng, had been sent to replace Fr. James at the Parish.
Fr. Kopong extended heartfelt gratitude to the ‘tall’, young Ghanaian priest for how far they have journeyed together and prayed that for his new assignment, the Good Lord will grant him the “extra grace to work for His glory, to extend love to our brothers, the lepers”.
The Christians could not conceal their feelings at Fr. James’ departure as a good number of them could be spotted shedding tears in the Church.
Mr. Benjamin Gafa, the Parish Chairman, speaking on behalf of the Parishioners expressed that he was sad at the news of Fr. James’ transfer because, according to him, a lot of work had been done during his brief stay.
“Through him we have done a lot of renovations: the Sacristy, the small room at the back, and at the Mission house, he helped us to put up a wooden gate at the entrance to prevent goats and pigs from entering the compound. He advised us and fed us with the Word of God,” he acclaimed.
He thanked the young energetic priest for his selfless services to their Church community, wished him strength and wisdom in his new assignment, and begged that in his prayers, he should always remember them as they will also remember him, all his good works, and a saying they have learnt from him: “in this world we should put our trust in God. If we don’t do that we are lost; for with God, everything is possible”.
“I am sure you have become a good role model to a lot of children in this Church because of the goodness you showed them,” he said, adding that it is his hope and prayer that the Parish will be getting a lot of priests and Sisters from among them.
Rev. Fr. James Wormenor expressed that he felt sad when news of his transfer reached him, as he was going to miss the people of Afram Plains that have been so nice to him.
He confessed that “when I was asked to come to Afram Plains, a lot of people told me Afram Plains is a very difficult area, moreover, for a newly ordained priest. But three months later when they met me, they were shocked to see me looking very well, and I told them that the people there love me, they take good care of me and it is a nice place to be”.
He expressed deep gratitude to the people for the love shown him, and he said though a brief stay it was, he had gained a lot of experiences. To him, God knows why he has to leave at this time and “in all things we will give thanks to God”.
He was equally grateful to his senior confrere, Fr. Dionisius Kopong for accepting him, and through whose help and support they were able to do all that they did together, and were still to do after the Twi language course, until God’s Will had to prevail.
Fr. Wormenor was also thankful to Fr. Sofronio, the representative of his District head, the SSpS Sisters, the Parish Pastoral Council of Adeemra Parish, and all his friends and well-wishers that had come from far and near, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, to bid him farewell, and to all he prayed that “God bless you all and show you love as you did show me”.
Present at the farewell Mass were the Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) together with some students of St. Mary’s Vocational / Technical Senior High School, Adeemra.
Others were Hon. Sorkpa Mawuli Joshua, Assembly Member for Adeemra, some staff of Adeemra Health Centre and Donkorkrom Presbyterian Hospital, a representative of Compassion International, representatives from St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, and some Outstations of St. Mary Mother of God Parish, Adeemra.
Activities featured during the send-off Mass included speeches, presentation of gifts to the outgoing priest, which was a very emotional moment for the Christians as a lot of them burst out in tears in their attempt to testify of the good works of the outgoing priest.
Others activities were choreography by the Missionary Childhood Society.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate)
