On March 2, 2025, the St Anthony Quasi Parish at Drobo in the Sunyani Diocese was raised to the status of Parish with the installation of its first Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. John Addae -Boateng, by Rev. Msgr. John Boagye Gyan, Dean of Dormaa Deanery in the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani, Ghana.
Msgr. John Boagye Gyan who was the main celebrant for the occasion explained to the people the three stages involved in raising a church to the status of a parish, being Rectorate, to Quasi Parish and finally to the Parish level taking into consideration a lot of factors.
Speaking on he made the parishioners aware that there is no church that was started by a priest, “all the churches that are in existence were started by the lay faithful” proclaimed Rev. Msgr. Boakye. He further encouraged the faithful to continue to establish many more churches wherever they find themselves.
Having acknowledged the fact that a church is shared by the faithful, Msgr. John reminded the people that there are a lot of responsibilities upon a Parish that has to be done to uplift the parish.
Pointing out three different parishioners that exist in every parish; active parishioner, passive parishioner and bad parishioner, he encouraged the faithful to pick up the behavior of the active parishioner for the growth of their parish.
The church is about development physical and spiritual development, he added. Making a reference to the statement made by St. Pope John Paul II on his visit to Ghana in the year 1980 that, the church cannot be built on “Hail Mary” alone, stating that the parishioners must be willing and ready to make donations for the development of the church for it is their responsibility.
Speaking in consonance to the readings of the day Msgr. Boakye admonished the parishioners to speak well of the church, their priest and of one another. “Know thyself, self-knowledge will make you humble” said Rev. Msgr. John.
The senior catechists Mr. Phillip Kyereme Diawuo read the certificate of installation from the Bishop the Most Rev Matthew Gyamfi, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani and the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference to the hearing of all the parishioners, after which representatives from various societal groups with the Church President Mr. Kwarfo Mariwah Charles were asked to have the certificate confirmed before the installation was done.
Mr. Kwarfo the Church president presented Rev. Fr John Addae Boateng to Msgr. John for interrogation and installation as the first Parish Priest of St. Anthony of Padua Parish Drobo. He was presented with the four liturgical colours Stoles, the key to the parish, Water for Baptism the Book of the Gospel and the Oil of Chrism.
By Sr. Esther Kutie, SVI (Sister Communicator)
