The Accra Archdiocesan Catholic Laity Council has officially announced the upcoming Easter Seminar and Pilgrimage, scheduled for June 7, 2025 at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Adabraka.
This year’s Seminar is themed “Jubilee Year: A Time to Proclaim Christ, Hope for the Church and Ghana,” and will feature the Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSP, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, as the Guest of Honour.
In an interview with newswatcgh.com, Mr. John Komla Kekeli Dzedze (KKD) Mensah, Chairman of the Accra Archdiocesan Catholic Laity Council, emphasised the significance of the theme, noting that the Church and Ghana need hope amidst the current environmental challenges and conflicts in the world.
He said, “The Jubilee Year, A time to proclaim Christ, hope for the church and Ghana, is a call to have sober reflection on the ills we have caused ourselves as a nation. At the present time humanity seems to be hopeless.
That is why Pope Francis in the blessed memory declared the year of Hope. Reminding humanity that God is always present in our lives and not absent.”
He added, “Another side of hope is that all is not lost. Our God is ever ready to restore us and make our souls beautiful again”.
Mr. Mensah has encouraged participants to “see the seminar as a form of reflection, prayer, meditation and reconnection of oneself to God.”
According to him, leaders of the various Laity Councils in parishes of the Accra Archdiocese should work with their priests for a successful laity week celebration.
“Having considered to be leaders, they should avail themselves in parishes activities and work hand in hand with the Priest to organize effective laity week celebration and spiritual pilgrimage for their respective parishioners”, he said.
In addition, Mr. John Komla Kekeli Dzedze Mensah also encouraged Laity Committee members at various Parishes to have a post Laity Week celebration forum for parishioners to share their experiences during the week celebration and activities of the laity.
Each Parish, Rectorate, and Outstation is expected to send five delegates preferably from the Laity Committee or committed trainable Church members to participate in the Seminar and pilgrimage.
All participants would take part in a candlelight procession through the Holy Door which would serve as a symbolic act of conversion, reconciliation and spiritual renewal, followed by Holy Mass to officially commence the Seminar.
Also, participants would be expected to pay a participation fee of GH¢500 and are encouraged to bring additional funds to purchase copies of the 2025 Laity study booklets, priced at GH¢15, which would be used for their respective Laity week celebrations.
Priests have been requested to send five lay people and buy more than 50 copies of the booklets to ensure that all participants are well-informed and prepared for the Laity Week Celebrations in their Parishes.
By: Veronica Sena Amenya//Newswatchgh.com
