The Most Rev. Samuel Nkuah-Boateng, Bishop of Wiawso, has celebrated his first and thanksgiving Mass at the Our Lady of Annunciation Cathedral after his Episcopal ordination and installation Friday, April 21, with a call on the people of God in the Diocese never to be afraid.
In line with his Episcopal Motto Nolite Timere, to wit, Do not Be Afraid or Be not Afraid (Luke 12:32), he told the hundreds of faithful in the fully packed Cathedral “Don’t be afraid people of Wiawso,” saying that fear shouldn’t take the people away from the things of God and ensure the avoidance things that would divide the people.
The Episcopal Motto were the words of encouragement that Jesus, more than Two Thousand years ago, addressed to his disciples. Jesus assured them to solely and overly depend on God. Therefore, as a Diocese and family of God our absolute dependence lies on God devoid of any fear.
Presiding over the Sunday, April 23 thanksgiving Mass, Bishop Nkuah-Boateng thanked his predecessor, the Most Rev. Francis Kweku Essien for his spiritual support and the numerous development he brought to the Diocese as Bishop for 23years.
The Mass was concelebrated by the Most Rev. Charles Gabriel palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast; the Most Rev. John Baptist Attakruh, Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi, Bishop Essien and scores of Priests including Seminary mates of Bishop Nkuah-Boateng.
In a homily, Bishop Nkuah-Boateng urged the people of God to always give thanks to God for the many good things He had done for them individually and the Diocese as a whole.
“Put your trust and hope in the Lord because the Church is a pilgrimage Church where everyone must live a life as if every day is his last days on earth so that you may always do the things of God,” he said.
He entreated the faithful never to joke with the works of God and always pray for the spirit of discernment and reverence.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle who is the head of the Cape Coast Province thanked the Chiefs and people of Sefwi for attending the Episcopal Ordination in massive numbers, a gesture he said was an indication of how the Church works closely with the traditional authorities.
He thanked the Chiefs for always generously donating lands to the Church for development projects that inure to the benefit of the people.
He, however, appealed to the Traditional Leaders to endeavour to protect the lands they offer to the Church for development. According to the Archbishop, when the Chiefs give lands to the Church, it is for the well-being of the people including the Chiefs themselves, hence, the urgent need for them (Chiefs) to help protect the lands to avoid litigations.
On his part, Bishop Essien thanked the Priests, Religious and lay faithful for their support and announced that as Bishop Emeritus, a thanksgiving Mass would be organised for him appropriately.
Earlier, many Priests, Religious and lay faithful including Archbishop Palmer-Buckle, Bishop Essien and Bishop Attakruh joined Bishop Nkuah-Boateng in a procession amid singing, drumming and dancing to the Cathedral during which he was presented with a bouquet.
The Priests of the Diocese, Parishes, Societies and Groups, his Seminary mates and individuals presented gifts to the Bishop as their solidarity to his Episcopal Ministry.
By Newswatchgh.com, Wiawso
