Hundreds of Christian Mothers, Christian Fathers, Daughters, and Sons from the eight Deaneries of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra on Saturday, March 8, 2025, converged at the St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Ashaiman for their Lenten Retreat on the theme: Mothers, Pilgrims of Hope on a despaired journey Exodus 14:13
Rev. Fr. Ebenezer Kofi Hanson, a Priest of the Archdiocese of Accra, preached the day’s retreat and led in other spiritual activities: praying of the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Confessions, Adoration to the Blessed Sacrament, and Holy Mass.
As part of the Rosary led by the Ashaiman Deanery, the members prayed for Mothers who need the fruit of the womb, the safety and well-being of all mothers and pregnant mothers, and children especially those in school.
During the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, they prayed for the total restoration of health for the Holy Father Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, and all Christian Mothers, Fathers, Daughters, and Son.
Speaking on the theme, Fr. Hanson said as Mothers, they were true pilgrims of hope which must be reflected in their lives as they journey along with their families and people they encounter in their lives.
He asked them as pilgrims of hope to always lay down their lives for others, advising that as pilgrims, they have to be decorous in their speeches in public. He lamented how some Catholics speak loosely in public without recourse to their faith, affirming that there is always hope amid challenges.
He lauded Mothers for their continuous love for their children and the constant hope they give to them through their charitable acts, appealing to them as part of their pilgrimage journey, to continue to support the legacy of Hope Children Hospital project of the Accra Archdiocese.
Urging mothers to own and hold their children tightly, Fr. Hanson asked them to ensure that they (children) did not fall prey to the negative tendencies of the world especially the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ).
“You have to be vigilant on your children, they (LGBTQ) proponents are changing the mindset of our children through their secret activities,” he cautioned, entreating them also to ensure their Catholic children do not join the Freemasons or any other anti-Catholic groups.
Fr. Hanson reminded the mothers to ensure their children do not engage in social vices like alcoholism, indecency, and immorality. He condemned the innovations creeping into the Catholic Church like “Rep Your Jersey, Rep Your School,” a situation he noted the Church must guard against since it was having influences on the youth.
He expressed worry that “because of COVID-19, we have replaced our Holy Water at the entrances of our Churches with sanitizers,” praying that the use of the Holy water would be restored since there is power in it.
He said with Christ Jesus, there would always be hope, pointing out that the first principle to bring hope to Christians is the understanding of the word which became flesh; secondly, the frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist; thirdly, frequenting the confessional to confess our sins and the Praying of the Rosary because there is power in the Rosary.
A Mass presided over by Fr. Hanson and concelebrated by Fr. Edmund Neizer, the Vocations Director of Accra Archdiocese, and Fr. Emmanuel Acheampong, concluded the Retreat during which the Archdiocesan Executives and Deanery President were blessed.
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; Mother Martha Kittah, Mamprobi; Mother Florence Edjeani, Ahaiman,; Mother margarte Akotua, Kpehe and Mother Monica Assabil, Tema.
The Christian Mothers’ Association is a national women’s Non-Governmental Organisation established by some Nuns and highly spirited women in the Catholic Church in the early 1940s in Accra (85 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 developmental projects in the areas of poverty reduction, entrepreneurship, micro-finance spearheading environmental and societal issues, and also raising leaders to take part in Ghana’s decentralization 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
