Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordji, SVD, the Bishop of Keta Akatsi Diocese in the Volta Region of Ghana, has told Consecrated Men and Women working in the Diocese, not to be satisfied with their own people in the Church; but to go out and look for the ‘other sheep that belong to the sheepfold’.
In a homily in his residence at Live, a town near Akatsi on February 6, 2023, Bishop Kumordji told the Consecrated Persons gathered to mark the Feast of Consecrated Life, to be the light of the world as they came to meet Christ the light in the temple.
He asked them to be united and collaborate with the Priests in the Parishes for the continuation of evangelisation work.
Bishop Kumordji talked about how important it was as Consecrated people, to hold on to the values acquired during formation and the rule of law- the Constitution of their Institutes which was studied dutifully during formation.
He said there was danger for not continuing what was learnt during formation as he enumerated few things that pose as treats to Consecrated Life including inability to pray together as a Community, replacing prayer with work, inability to dine together, difficulty in having recreation and faith sharing together.
He, therefore, urged them not to fall victims to those things.
He also was with the view that the danger of Consecrated Persons not reading the Constitution of their various Institutes, make people create their own Constitution that bring problems in the Community.
“The Community must be enriching and not self-destruction”, he emphasised.
The Divine Word Bishop insisted that the Holy family (especially Jesus and Mary) went to be purified in the temple according to the law of the Lord, sating, “We need to also work for our purification.”
“Our purification comes from observing our constitution, the rules and regulations, leaving a worthy community life and observing our different moments of prayer,” he added.
Bishop Kumordji challenged the Consecrated people to make themselves visible and make the Church attractive in witnessing to the people.
The feast of Presentation of the Lord which is celebrated on 2nd February 2, is the day of purification of Consecrated people. The Diocese of Keta -Akatsi marked this year’s celebration on February 6, since it was not possible to meet as a family on the 2nd.
The celebration of Consecrated Life is a reunion time and opportunity for Consecrated people to meet deliberate on Pastoral work and their various apostolates to see how best they can reach out to people, to bring Christ to them.
During their meeting, the Consecrated Persons deliberated on the challenges and successes they faced in their apostolates. They also deliberated on how to strengthen the Keta-Akatsi Religious Union (KARU) and discussed how to participate fully in African Religious Union-Ghana (ARUG) Congresses.
Present at the celebration was Fr. Fr. Père Léopold Adanle, a Comboni Missionary and the President of KARU, Fr. Jean Claud Mabiza, the Secretary General and Fr. Simon Tornyeviadzi Amenuku, the Secretary of Bishop Kumordji.
By Newswatchgh.com
