Prof. Patricia Akweongo Cassoma, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control at the University of Ghana, has counselled members of the Accra Archdiocesan Christian Mothers’ Association to make the praying of the Rosary one of their priorities.
“Praying the Rosary always brings us closer to God and a sure way of winning battles,” she said at the opening of the 10th Biennial Conference of the Accra CMA at the University of Ghana on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
The five-day Conference from September 4 to 8 is being attended by hundreds of delegates from the eight Deaneries of the Archdiocese- Kaneshie, Kpehe, Osu, Mamprobi, Madina, Ashaiman, Tema and Battor-Ada.
Speaking as the Guest Speaker on the theme: The Lord Has Done Great Things For Me, Holy is His Name (Luke1:49), Prof. Cassoma encouraged the Mothers to emulate the virtues of Mary and make prayer a central part of their daily activities.
The opening ceremony was graced by the Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare, an Auxiliary Bishop of Accra who represented the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp.
It was chaired by Nana Kugbeadzor Bakateyi II, Queen Mother of Likpe-Gudeve in the Oti Region, who is the Regional Director of Education for Bono Region and the Dean for Regional Directors of Education, Ghana.
According to Prof. Cassoma, who is a parishioner of St. Bakhita Catholic Church, Community 20 in Accra Archdiocese, there was a need for Christian Mothers to be always thankful to God for the many blessings and miracles that happen in their daily lives.
She urged the CMA members of Accra and beyond to always listen to the voice of God as Mother Mary did and emulate her virtues of humility, trust and obedience to God.
“Follow the footsteps of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Anytime, we have Mary at our side, there is always joy,” she noted, saying, “There is no way you will be a child of Mary and you will experience sorrow and inactiveness in your life.”
Prof. Cassoma entreated the CMA members to make it a habit of frequently visiting the Grotto to seek the Mother Mary’s maternal intercession.
She challenged the Mothers to bring more people closer to God through their mentorship, activeness and participation in CMA activities.
“If you want things to be good for you at home, family, and work place, get closer to Mary, who is ever ready to intercede for her children like she did at the wedding at Cana when she told the people do whatever He tells you,” she added.
According to her, it is not a mistake to be a child of Mary, saying that the perceived dwindling Catholic population was as a result of the fact that Catholics weren’t drawing closer to Mary for her intercession in their lives.
“Let’s continue to pray for the Church, our families and friend; pray unceasingly and relook at our devotion to Mother Mary,” she advised.
In her remarks, Nana Kugbeadzor Bakateyi II, a passionate advocate of women empowerment, urged the Mothers to draw inspiration from the Blessed Virgin Mary and let her life be a motivation and example.
She admonished them to play significant roles in the Association by revering Mary who is the Mother of God, counselling them: “Pray the Rosary together with your children for the divine intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Dilating on the role of Mothers, Nana Kugbeadzor Bakateyi II, who is a member of the Ho Diocesan Catholic Women Association (CWA), entreated CMA members to continue to Mothers.
She encouraged the leadership to draw their strength from the numerous successes and achievements chalked by the Association and see their challenges as opportunities.
As an educationist, Nana Kugbeadzor Bakateyi II, she appealed to Mothers to endeavour to take the education of their children seriously especially the girl child because education was everything.
She pointed out that Mothers play unique roles in the educational growth of their children, thus must have adequate time to guide their children, urging them: “Take charge of your homes, children, families and home.”
“Be interested in monitoring your children, be close to them and correct them when the need arises,” he added, advising them: “Take good care of your children, how you mould them today will determine their future.”
The Christian Mothers’ Association is a national women Non-Governmental Organisation established by some Nuns and highly spirited women in the Catholic Church in the early 1940s in Accra (84 years ago).
The Association has a vision of a well-organized, well-managed, self-sustaining women’s group able to continuously support the spiritual, social, economic and political empowerment of women.
Its mission is to empower women, reduce poverty and enhance the dynamic Christian values among family members. As a women group, they serve these causes by supporting income generating activities, providing civic, health, formal and non-formal education, teaching of social and moral values.
Its aims and objectives include to promote true Christian Family life, and Family Apostolate; be good examples of the Catholic Woman by praying the Rosary daily and encouraging our families to do same as we dedicate some time each day for family prayers; and promote Catholic Faith among children in our homes and beyond by imparting Catholic values in them through teachings and training sessions.
Others are to educate our members through Talks, Seminars, Workshops and Conferences, Skills for Economic and Political Empowerment; foster the Acceptance and Fulfillment of Member’s Mission as Christian Women in their Domestic, Social, Religious, and Civic Life. However, the Association is strictly Non-Partisan in Politics; develop maximum awareness of the Dignity and Responsibilities of Members as Religious Women, Wives and Mothers.
The rest are foster Close Relationship in Worshiping and Contributing towards the growth of Mother Church by attending mass regularly, sharing the Word of God at meetings and providing a deeper understanding of the Word of God to members; promote Charity Work to benefit the less fortunate in our communities by pulling our resources in cash and in kind and promote spiritual, moral and socio-economic advancement of women thereby helping them to be fully integrated in society and hence bettering their standard of living wherever they may be.
By Damian Avevor
