Rev. Fr. Foster Yeboah, a Notary at Ghana’s Sunyani Diocesan Tribunal has advised the students in the Diocese to run away from certain uncultured attitudes and social vices that would affect their lives and educational prospects.
He cautioned the students to desist from disrespecting and insulting adults which he lamented had become rampant these days.
He was speaking to Students of some second cycle institution in the Suynai Diocese at the weekend at St. James Seminary/Senior High School Abesim, to celebrate this year’s feast of St. Thomas Aquinas.
The feast was on the theme “students and Holiness; Imitating the Life of St. Thomas Aquinas.”
The programme was an intensive discussion and interaction with Catholic Students in the Diocese and also aimed at forming students in the moral and academic integrity of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Fr. Yeboah who is the Assistant Priest at St. Joseph Parish, Abesim cautioned the students against drug addiction and improper dressing, which he described as obstacles to living a life of holiness.
He advised the students to strive to live a life of holiness in spite of their imperfection. He educated them that holiness meant being in a constant relationship, union and communion with God.
A call to holiness, according to Fr. Yeboah, was an invitation from God to all humanity, saying, even though it is an invitation, it is also a command.
“This invitation was not giving to angels but rather God’s own kind, we human beings,” he said, adding, “We all have our own weakness and shortcomings in our own unique way but the common factor is that God’s invitation for us to live in the full communion with him in that state of blessedness is for everyone.”
Quoting from one of the apostolic exhortations by Pope Francis, entitled ‘’rejoice and be glad’’ Fr. Yeboah clarified that Holiness is an inclusive call without exception which is extended to everybody.
He noted that it is an indispensable element between God and humanity in the economy of salvation, and lastly, it is possible to achieve holiness.
According to Fr. Yeboah, the motivational factor for one to become holy or strive to live a life of holiness should not only be because St. Thomas Aquinas, the Patron Saints of Catholic students, is a saint.
He entreated the Students to be holy because “the God we serve has said I the Lord your God I am holy and therefore, you should be holy.”
This, he added, should be a guiding principle of living a holy life.
He reminded that the call of holiness is very possible in this era desperate the society we live and cautioned them against living a life of intellect without God and without flesh and a doctrine without mystery, which are the enemies of living a life of holiness.
He also admonished them not to destroy their faith in God all in the name of studies.
Schools in attendance included Notre Dame Senior High, Sunyani Senior High, Our Lady of Providence Senior High, Mansen Senior High, Sacred Heart Senior High and St. James Seminary/Senior High.
By Sr. Naomi Addai, HHCJ//Newswatchgh.com
