The 10th Biennial Conference of the Christian Mothers’ Association (CMA) in the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra has been opened with a ceremony at the University of Ghana on Thursday, September 5, 2024 on the theme: The Lord Has Done Great Things For Me, Holy is His Name (Luke1:49)
The five-day Conference from September 4 to 8 is being attended by hundreds of delegates from the eight Deaneries of the Archdiocese- Kaneshie, Kpehe, Osu, Mamprobi, Madina, Ashaiman, Tema and Battor-Ada.
The Conference would be climaxed with a Mass on Sunday, September 8, 2024, the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The opening ceremony was graced by the Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare, an Auxiliary Bishop of Accra who represented the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp as the Special Guest of Honour.
It was chaired by Nana Kugbeadzor Bakateyi II, Queen Mother of Likpe-Gudeve in the Oti Region, who is the Regional Director of Education for Bono Region and the Dean for Regional Directors of Education, Ghana.
The Guest Speaker was Prof. Patricia Akweongo Cassoma, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control at the University of Ghana and a parishioner of St. Bakhita Catholic Church, Community 20 in Accra Archdiocese.
Present were the National Spiritual Director of CMA, Very Rev. Fr. Alfons Amanor, SVD and some Deanery Spiritual Directors; some National Officers of CMA and representatives of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW).
The CMA Conferences are held every two years to enable Mothers to come together to take stock of their activities, achievements and shortfalls in the past years, socialize, refill their “spiritual gallons”, check their health statuses, sharpen their legal rights, rebuild their business and strategise how best they can move the Association forward in the right direction.
In her Conference Speech, Mother Eunice Dumashie, President of the Accra CMA, who took over the mantle on March 5, 2023, said though the running of the Association hadn’t been easy, there were many successes chalked including the holding two Lenten Retreats, embarking on two pilgrimages, organisation of CMA Day, orientation for newly elected Officers, socialisation with games, initiations and inaugurations of branches.
According to her, the Association has increased in numbers and called for the active participation of members at all levels, appealing to members to make their participation a top priority.
“We have every cause to thank God for bringing us this far and we know he will help us surmount all hurdles with ease and bring the Association here in Accra to an appreciable level before our term of Office comes to an end,” she stated.
The Accra Archdiocesan CMA President urged the Mothers to bear in mind that it is very tempting to go along with the world but St. Paul admonishes us that “We are in the world but not of the world.”
She noted that “many things in the world would attract us and may even distract our attention, but let’s remember that even though we have the right to do all things, not all things are good for us as Christian Mothers, Fathers, Sons and Daughters.”
Some activities expected to take place during the five-day Conference include daily Masses, talks on health, education, legal and finances, evening with Mother Mary, cooking competition, time with Christian Fathers, Sons and Daughters, honouring of Mother Mary/Gospel Night and brass band procession with Mother Mary to be climaxed with a Mass on the Nativity of Mary.
Currently, Accra CMA has the following as Executives: Mother Eunice Dumashie, President; Mother Esther Abaka, 1st Vice President; Mother Theresa Addai-Marfor, 2nd Vice President; Mother Matilda Deku, Secretary; Mother Paulina Darko, Assistant Secretary; Mother Agnes Tweneboa-Koduah, Financial Secretary and; Mother Charity Haywood-Amartey, Treasurer.
The rest are Mother Regina Moore, Chaplain; Mother Hellena Akpaloo, Assistant Chaplain; Mother Beatrice Senyo, Protocol Officer; Mother Rita Osei Bonsu, Co-opted Member and Mother Anna Mensah, Advisor.
The Deanery Presidents are Mother Lydia ANthonio, Kaneshie; Mother Erica Adu, Madina; Mother Esther Abaka, Osu; Mother Margaret Akyea, Battor-Ada; Mopther Martha Kittah, Mamprobi; Mother Florence Edjeani, Ahaiman,; Mother margarte Akotua, Kpehe and Mother Monica Assabil, Tema.
The Christian Mothers’ Association is a national women Non-Governmental Organisation established by some Nuns and highly spirited women in the Catholic Church in the early 1940s in Accra (84 years ago).
It has the vision to offer a holistic ministry to the women, thereby making them well-organised, self-reliant, self-sustaining, able to support the family up-keep, and more importantly to know their civic rights and responsibilities and being part of decision making at all levels.
CMA operates in all Dioceses and Vicariate in Ghana and has a current active membership of over 40,000 women, men, girls and boys. As a broad-based democratic organisation, CMA operates within the confines of its constitution, where they use the bottom-top approach in decision making.
The core activities include the provision of civic, health, formal and non-formal education and teaching of social and moral values, and also supporting the income generating activities of women.
For many years now, CMA has undertaken many development projects in the areas of poverty reduction, entrepreneurship, micro-finance and spearheading environmental and societal issues, and also raising leaders to take part in Ghana’s decentralisation process.
The CMA started its collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in 1966. Since then, a stable and lasting partnership was established. The current priority of this co-operation is a Civic Education Programme aimed at supporting women coming from all classes of society.
This programme helps women to influence policies by attaining leadership roles and policy making positions.
By Damian Avevor//Newswatchgh.com
