The Council of Catholic Professionals Guilds (CCPG) of the Accra Archdiocese has held its maiden Congress in Accra with a call on all professionals within the church to let their love for God find expression in the things they do and say in and out of their church lives.
Chief Executive Officer of Dalex Finance and Leasine Com. Ltd, Kenneth Kwamina Thompson who made the call in a keynote address on the theme: “The Role Of the Catholic Professionals Guild Within a Self- Reliant Church” finds it difficult to understand why so many things are going wrong in the church despite the presence of professionals.
“As professionals, our love of God should find expression in the things we do and say both in and out of in Church. But that is where sometimes I feel that we have let God down.
There are people that say they love God and have volunteered to clean God’s house. But in most of the churches I visit, when I raise my head I see dirt. I see the dirty grottos, I see the poor architecture, I see the poor landscape, a nonexistent maintenance culture, no child-friendly facilities, the lack of a welcoming environment where are the professionals when all these things are not right, where are the professionals”? he asked.
According to him, it is not enough for Catholic Professionals to say they are not being allowed to contribute but be willing to do things that glorify the name of God.
Mr. Kenneth Thompson urged all professionals within the church to be proactive, set big goals and learn from their failures in order to contribute meaningfully for the church to become self reliant.
The Corporate Head CalBank PLC), a parishioner of Christ the King, Justina Laing who chaired the event urged all to commit to doing something good beyond the normal for the growth of church.
She also encouraged all professionals within the church give offer themselves in service to the Church.
A new Executive Committee was constituted to steer affairs of the Council for the next two years in accordance with the constitution of CCPG.
They include all Presidents of the respective member bodies and an appointed member of that guild.
The Health Professionals guild is represented by Prof. Onike Rodrigues and Pauline Hayeh, the Association of Catholic Teachers (ACT) by Emmanuel Dogodzi and Harriet Akorli whiles the Environment Guild is represented on the Council by Eric Guyiri and Daniel Baidoo.
Others are the Business Management and Finance Professionals Guild represented by Priscilla Menson and Jennifer Bebli, the Security Professionals Guild represented by Lt. Col. Peter Abban and AGO Vida Amoako, the Legal Professionals Guild are represented on the Council by Anita Ababio and Julius Asinyo.
The rest are the Agribusiness Professionals Guild represented by Murphy Opoku Acheampong and Dr. Anna Antwi and the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners Ghana – CAMP-G represented by Victoria Lugey and Robert Mawuenyegah.
Other members include the Coordinator of the Guilds, the Chaplain, Archbishop’s representative and the immediate past Coordinator if any.
Activities of the Council’s Secretariat shall be managed by the Coordinator – Edward Ayem, Chaplain – Rev. Fr. Dr. Dennis Opoku, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) – Robert Mawuenyegah and the Archbishop’s representative Very Rev Fr. Dr. Kobina Louis.
The Vicar General of the Accra Archdiocese, Rev Fr John Kobina Lois who inducted the new Leadership of the Council into office prayed that the success of the first congress becomes the basis for a relaunch of the working zeal of all professional guilds within the Catholic Church for a renewed service to God and country.
