In response to the concern of Pope Francis, the Most Rev. Peter Paul Y. Angkyier, has encouraged the the Consecrated Men and Women working in the Diocese to seriously take the intention of the Holy Father in the need to celebrate the jubilee on a safe environment.
Speaking to the Religious at the at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, Damongo on June 15, 2024 to raise awareness on the need to protect the environment, Bishop Angkyier opined that the care of the environment is a national concern and the Consecrated Men and Women should give a collective attention to it.
As part of the programme organised by the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious, Ghana was a talk on the care of the environment and climate with candle light procession.
It was attended the all Religious working in the Diocese, Financial Administrator, Msgr. Augustine Towoni, Parishioners of St. Theresa Parish including the Christian Mother’s Association, Catholic Youth Organisation and Tarcisians.
The participated Religious Congregation were the Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI), Notre Dame de L’Eglise (NDE), Francisca Missionary of Mary(FMM), Medical Mission Sisters (MMS), Mary Mother of Mercy Sisters and Brothers of the Immaculate Conception (FIC), all working within the Diocese.
He referred the congregation to a document released by the Holy Father, Pope Francis on May 9, 2024 entitled “spes non confuntit” meaning Hope does not disappoint.
In this document, the Year of Jubilee was declared to be celebrated in 2025. For this reason Religious are to be part of the celebration through prayers and other activities.
According to the Bishop, he sees the day’s programme in the right direction, saying that according to the document, the Jubilee Year of Hope door will be opened at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on the eve of Christmas to mark the beginning the Year of the Pilgrims of Hope. The theme for the Jubilee year is “Pilgrimage of Hope” .
The Bishop Angkyier explained the biblical meaning of a Jubilee as an anniversary where slaves are set free, cultivated lands left fallow and forgiveness of debts take place. By this, it is practically a year of renewal that helps Christians to mark very significant events in their lives. As such this celebration is meant to bring hope which will imbue everyone with God’s love.
The Bishop then encouraged the lay faithful present to rally around the Religious Men and Women as they celebrate an aspect of the jubilee year.
The first part of the programme was a talk on the theme: Send forth your spirit and renew the face of the Earth” presented by Mr. Isaac Kofi Ntori, the Project Officer of A ROCHA, Ghana. A ROCHA is a Portugees name meaning ROCK for which Jesus is the rock here because the project has a Christian character.
The aim of A ROCHA is to protect God’s creation, educate, sensitize and create awareness of the need to continue the collaborative work with God.
In his presentation, Mr. Ntori attested to the fact that God created the world and assigned humankind to the care of it. By this act, he said, it is our responsibility as Christians for that matter consecrated persons to be aware of our role in protecting the environment, educating and sensitising the people around us.
He spelt out the dangers of mishandling the environment in the area of water and air pollution, refuse disposal, indiscriminate felling of trees and the like. Exposing the gathering to the dangers.
He therefore called for the collective responsibility to fighting the menace as a Christian duty to protect the environment as God’s collaborators.
According to him, our inability to protect the environment has brought a drastic change to the climate which makes it difficult to predict rainfalls. Our animals are not safe from this and human lives are at risk if nothing concrete is done.
He further brought to the awareness of the participants about how other nations and churches are fighting the menace at their various levels. Hence the need to join in the chorus with the Holy Father to protect the land by proper disposals, tree planting and keeping our water bodies clean.
The leader of the Religious in the Diocese, Sr. Lydia Berewono, SMI, thanked the Bishop for his fatherly care especially being present fully at the programme.
She also thanked the facilitator of the talk, and assured of the availability and active contribution of the Religious to carry out this advocacy.
A candle light procession through the principal streets of the Parish climaxed the programme. A thanksgiving Mass was held on June 16, 2024 at the same Parish presided over by Rev. Fr. Clement Bakari.
Story and photos by Sr. Juliana A. Atuuna, SMI (Sister Communicator)
