Catholics of Our Lady of Assumption (OLA) Parish at New Achimota in Ghana’s Accra Archdiocese have been urged to be united to build a formidable Marian community as the Parish marks its 40 years next year.
“We have an arduous task to be united as a family to spread the Good News of God, Mr. Francis Ackah, Chairman of the Anniversary Steering Committee said at the launch of the Parish’s Ruby Jubilee celebrations on Sunday, August 21, 2022.
He added: “At 40, we need to become a lively and spirit-filled Marian Community seen dwelling together in love and unity.”
The theme for the year-long Anniversary is “Behold, How Good and Pleasant to See the Family Dwell Together in Unity” (Psalm 133:1).
Launching the year-long Jubilee, Mr. Ackah said the theme was chosen to lay emphasis on the need for parishioners of OLA and her three Outstations to know that as Catholics they had been commanded to live together as a family by loving one another as brothers and sisters.
He stated, “It is through our togetherness and oneness that we can serve the Lord our God as captured in our pastoral theme for the next six years,” adding, “As a Church, we have a mission to be rooted in the WORD and committed to His MISSION as one Family.”
Giving the biblical symbolism of the number 40, he indicated that it generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or probation, adding, “Forty years of service to God deserves special recognition and celebration for us as a community to take stock of our past, present and the future.”
The OLA Church was founded in 1983 when some dedicated and committed Catholic faithful living in and around New Achimota succeeded in facilitating the establishment of a Catholic Community at Mile 7.
The first Holy Mass was celebrated by Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Tetteh Addy on Monday, August 15, 1983.
In his homily during Mass to mark the 39th Anniversary and launching of the Ruby Jubilee of OLA Parish on August 21, Rev. Fr. Bonaventure Gnaha, MCCJ, Assistant Parish Priest of OLA, asked the parishioners to joyful celebrate the blessings of God on the Community dedicated to Mother Mary, who was full of grace.
He said Mother Mary had carried the OLA community from nowhere to where it is today, noting, parishioners had every cause to rejoice because indeed Mary had done great things for the Parish.
“Mother Mary is telling us there is more to do to grow the Parish as a Marian communality,” he stated, urging them to always avail themselves for Marian devotions and Grotto Services to put their challenges before her.
“Be ready to say yes to Mother Mary,” Fr. Gnaha counseled the parishioners, advising them to emulate her humility and lead lives that depict the values of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was blessed among woman.
“As you mark 39 years and looking forward to celebrate 40 next year, you must be deep in the faith, serve the Lord together with faith and be obedient to the Word of God,” he charged the parishioners.
The Comboni Missionary Priest admonished the faithful to love another and be united to build a formidable Marian Community, advising them to increase their prayer lives and take things of Mary at heart.
He said at 40, the youth must rise up to help build the Church in diverse ways that would propel them to aspire to the Priestly and Religious Vocation.
He prayed that during the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Parish in 2033, the Parish would produce a Priest to preside or concelebrate at the Golden Jubilee Mass.
The Mass was concelebrated by five Priests including Very Rev. Fr. Francis Machado, MCCJ, Parish Priest of OLA and Rev. Fr. Evans Kotoku, MCCJ.
Source: Damian Avevor//Newswatchgh.com
