As part of activities to mark the 2024 Assumption celebration, Christians from the 8 Parishes of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, together with their priests and Bishop, John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, gathered on the Mountain under St. Paul Catholic Church, Bonkrom, in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District, Eastern Ghana for the celebration of Holy Mass and other forms of Prayer.
The August 17 Mass, which was preceded by Rosary recitation and Stations of the Cross from the Church compound up the mountain, was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Solomon Amedorme Gbeglo, assistant Priest of St. Cecilia Parish, Fori-Fori, and concelebrated by the Bishop, five priests and two deacons.
Delivering a sermon on the theme: “Jesus is calling you,” Fr. Gbeglo charged the faithful to reflect on the Gospel reading from Mathew where the disciples were preventing people from bringing children to Jesus, and Jesus’ response to them “let the little children come to me…”.
The priest pointed out that, even though the Scriptures do not identify who these people were, whether they were the parents, guardians, or nurses of the children, one thing is clear that by the very act of bringing the children to Jesus, they were testifying their respect for him, as well as the value they had for his favour and blessings.
He underscored that those who glorify Christ by coming to Him themselves, should further glorify Him by bringing all they have, adding that “your call demands that you bring others to Jesus and not to yourselves”.
“Today as we celebrate the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, we are called to see her as one who is always searching for us who are lost in sin,” he said.
The preacher further noted that the Church sees in our Blessed Mother, one who is always bringing her children, that is the Church to her son, Jesus, for blessing.
“May you respond to the call to of Jesus, hear his voice within calling you to turn from sin,” the priest urged, adding that sin blocks divine grace, hence there is need for the faithful to prepare themselves adequately for the blessing of Jesus.
“Let us bring others to Jesus in our celebration,” he endeared.
Present for the mountain Mass were some religious women from various Congregations within the Vicariate.
The mountain climbing exercise that featured Christians within various age groups ranging from toddlers to the aged, was done in three different batches classified according to languages spoken: Twi, Ewe and Dagbani, to facilitate the Rosary recitation and the Stations up the mountain.
Each group was given the opportunity to spend some quality prayer time inside the cave below the mountain.
Prior to the mountain climbing exercise, enormous preparations had gone in, in terms of clearing the road path, and tidying its surroundings to get it ready for the celebration, as well as preparing the mountain top for the Mass, championed by Rev. Fr. Saviour Seddo Darkey, Parish Priest of St. Joseph the Worker Parish Maame Krobo, together with his parishioners, seminarians and deacons of the Vicariate.
Other activities for the day were talks on Mary, the Model of Prayer and Causes, Prevention and management of Stroke, delivered by Rev. Gabriel Dabo-Gyamfi, a deacon of the Vicariate and Mr. Kotoh Ernest, Physician Assistant at Holy Rosary Health Centre Amankwakrom, respectively, among others.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom)
