Catholics of Our Lady of Assumption (OLA) Parish at New Achimota and her three Outstations, have been urged to pray the Rosary unceasingly as a weapon to fight sin and all adversaries.
Speaking at different Masses on September 4, 2022 on the Topic “The Power of the Rosary, a Weapon for Every Catholic” as part of the 40th Anniversary celebrations of OLA Parish, the Comboni Priests urged the faithful to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary.
Dubbed “OLA 40th Anniversary Marian Talk”, the Priests gave the talks at the OLA Parish; St. Daniel Comboni Church at Tantra Hills; Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Chantan; and St. Cecilia Church, Ofankor North.
The OLA Parish was established on August 15, 1983. The Ruby Jubilee (40th Anniversary) was launched on August 21, 2021 with a year-long series of activities including the Marian Talk, aimed at educating the parishioners on the importance and benefits of praying the Rosary and the need to constantly pray it constantly as a Marian Parish and as individuals to fight all battles.
The Anniversary would be climaxed on August 20, 2023.
At the OLA Parish, Very Rev. Fr. Francisco Machado, MCCJ, Parish Priest, encouraged the faithful to make the Rosary prayer part of their daily lives, reminding them that the Rosary which is a powerful weapon should be taken seriously.
“The Rosary is a prayer that every Catholic should take seriously. It gives the power to defeat the devil and strength to lead good lives,” he stated, asking the parishioners, “Put yourselves at the feet of Mother Mary and into the hands of God by constantly praying the Rosary.”
He told them that the Rosary was a prayer that leads Christians to meditate on the Word of God and gives mankind the knowledge of Jesus, purifies souls and wash away sins of Christians.
He, therefore, urged Catholics to pray the Rosary more since it gives them victory over their enemies but lamented that some Catholics have the Rosary but are shy to pray it in public.
He reminded the people of God that when they pray the Rosary, they put ourselves in the School of Mary, reports Solomon Torkutsah.
“We experience the Power of the Rosary when we pray and meditate upon it and it gives us better understanding of God, sets the fire of God’s spirit in our hearts and empowers us against our infirmities,” he noted.
From St. Cecilia Church, Emmanuel Adu Gyamfi reports that Rev. Fr. Evans Kotoku, MCCJ, told the faithful that as Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist, Mary also instituted the Rosary, hence, the mysteries of the Rosary help Catholics to meditate on the life of Jesus.
He added that the Rosary becomes powerful when it is used for prayer and meditation on the mysteries.
On his part at Tantra Hills and Chantan Communities respectively, Rev. Fr. Bonaventure Gnaha, MCCJ told the faithful that “When we pray the Rosary, we put ourselves and our intentions into God’s hands.”
“As we pray, we can let go of any worries we may have and we can choose to completely trust in God, knowing that He is listening to our prayers and that He wants the best for us and those we pray for,” he indicated.
According to him, the focus is always on Jesus but since the Virgin Mary, as the Mother of Jesus, had (and continues to have) a special relationship with Christ, the Rosary is designed to help Christians contemplate Christ and His love for humanity through His Mother -Our Mother – on whom He has lavished so much love.
Fr. Gnaha noted that meditating on the mysteries therefore “cleanses our imagination and engages and uses the imagination to promote God’s will rather than evil.”
“As we pray the Rosary, the mysteries of Christ’s birth, ministry, passion and glory are opened up and the Holy Spirit applies them to our own inner needs.” he said, pointing out that, “Where there are impurities, they are purged. Where there are bad memories, they are healed.”
Adding, he said, “Where there are wounds, Doctor Jesus and Nurse Mary minister to our needs. And we know that when emotional and psychological healing take place, the physical healing doesn’t last.”
