The Catholic youth of the Keta Deanery in the Keta-Akatsi Diocese of the Volta Region, Ghana  have held this year’s Youth in Praise at the St. Joseph Quasi Parish, Alakple to thank God for His favours.
The programme held on December 26, 2022 attracted many youth from the various parishes within the Keta Deanery- Keta, Dzelukope, Vodza, Tegbi, Anloga and Alakple.
Rev. Fr. Michael Selasi Combey, the Deanery Youth Chaplain and Associate  Priest of St Michael Co-Cathedral, Keta, thanked the youth for attending the programme and  encouraged them to keep the faith.
Fr. Frederick Seddoh, the Associate Priest and the Youth Chaplain of Tegbi St. Anthony of Padua Parish, in a reflection on the theme “I will go before you to level the hills” Â (Isaiah 45:1-3), urged the youth to trust in God and not to lose hope.
He assured them that God would not disappoint them but fulfill His plans for their lives if they keep praying and trusting in Him.
Mr. Nicholas Kodzo, the Co-ordinator  of Keta Deanery Youth and the Assistant Youth Co-ordinator of Keta-Akatsi Diocese, said the programme was organised yearly to encourage the youth of the Deanery to be active in Church activities.
Mr. Kodzo, a parishioner of St. Peter Claver Parish, Dzelukorpe, noted that the theme for this year’s gathering was chosen to assure the Catholic youth not to lose hope in the Lord.
“Even though we pass through many difficulties throughout the year, with God on our side, we will surmount all, “he said.
On the dwindling number of the Catholic Church, Mr. Kodzo affirmed the fact that the youth were leaving the Church, not for one particular reason, but various reasons, including financial problems, influence from other Churches, among others.
Speaking in an interview on vocation into the Priesthood and Religious life, Ruth Attipoe from Keta St. Michael Co-Cathedral Parish said, the Religious life was not attractive, asserting that “their ways of life was complicated
She said even though the Sisters were noted for advising and teaching the youth about good values, their styles of dressing, usually wearing very long dresses and covering of their hair was worth emulating unlike the ordinary person who can wear any type of dress they want, preferably above the knee.
On his part, Benjamin Amuzu from Tegbi St. Anthony of Padua Parish knew nothing about what Sisters but however noted that sometimes, discouragement from peers and parents was a contributing factor of the lack of interest into priesthood and religious life.
Present at this celebration also were Fr. Michael Gademor, the Parish Priest of St Joseph Quasi Parish; Â Sr. Felicia Agbe, SMMC, Mr. Eric Fiazorli, the Keta-Akatsi Diocesan Youth Coordinator from Anloga St. Francis of Assisi.
By Sr. Agnes Mercy Nyatsoe, SMMC
