Concerning the person of Jesus, in the time of the first apostles, Peter and John say to the people “We cannot stop proclaiming of what we have seen and heard”. The same is true of the person of His Excellency, Archbishop Henryk Miecszlaw Jagodzinski, the out-gone Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana.
Many Ghanaians experienced him through what they have seen and heard about him; some of us touched him ‘live’ – elbow to elbow.
Arriving at the shores of Ghana on Tuesday 8th September 2020 (in the heat of the Covid -19 pandemic), the very next day, 9th September 2020, H.E. Jagodzinski made his debut appearance at the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS), Accra, to present his Letter of Introduction to the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) before proceeding to the Jubilee House for the presentation of his Letter of Credence to the President of the Republic of Ghana as the Canon Law stipulate.
On that first encounter, he demonstrated his friendly disposition and interactive abilities as he greeted each NCS staff one by one – elbow to elbow. One would have thought that Covid wound have been enough reason for him to just wave at us and kept moving but no; he stopped for everyone to touch him and say Akwaaba! He thereafter presented his introduction letter to the then president of the GCBC who read it out to the NCS Senior staff and also briefed the New Apostolic Nuncio on the structure and functions of the Secretariat and its areas of collaboration with the state and the people.
Subsequently, His Excellency paid other unofficial visits to the NCS. His friendship with the then Secretary General, Very Rev. Fr. Lazarus Anondee grew. He became interested in the NCS Chapel; restructured and relocated to the ground floor and proposed to be named after the Polish Pope, St. John Paul II who commissioned the NCS Building (Centenary House) in May 1980 when he visited the Republic of Ghana.
The Apostolic Nuncio paid a private visit to the NCS and the Chapel when foreign diplomats visited him and only the Secretary General and a few of us were on hand to receive them, still he gave out his beaming smiles and warm embrace. He was also at the NCS on 5th May, 2021 with his Secretary, Rev. Msgr. Pavol Talapka, to inform the GCBC (during their May 2021 Plenary) of the transfer of his Secretary to the Republic of Taiwan.
The climax of my sweet memories of the out-gone Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana was on his formal visit to the NCS and the Naming and Blessing of the Pope St. John Paul II Chapel, NCS by him on Wednesday 20th October, 2021, after one year and one month of his arrival and lively interactions with the Church and the people all over the nation. That day, almost all the staff and management of the NCS wined and dined and wined with him spiritually and socially. It all started with the Holy Mass presided over by him and concelebrated with the GCBC President and members and full attendance of the NCS staff.
In his homily he said and I quote, “This is the 4th time I am coming to the National Catholic Secretariat, but it’s the first time that I am celebrating the Holy Mass in this House. The Eucharist is the biggest expression of communion. I am happy that I can bring to you, the blessings and greetings of Pope Francis. I carry it as his representative to your beautiful country…”
After the Holy Mass and the naming and blessing of the Chapel, we trouped out with him like the natives accompanying the Otunfuo and showed him round the NCS and its structures. We then settled for a meeting of the NCS Staff with him at the NCS Conference all, after which the whole ceremony was concluded with a sumptuous launch with him.
His Excellency was not done with the NCS yet. Through his encouragement and partial sponsorship, a beautiful Statue of Pope St. John Paul II (now NCS Chapel Patron Saint) was sculptured and mounted at the centre front of the NCS premises. On Wednesday 9th May, the Apostolic Nuncio came again for the unveiling and blessing of the Pope St. John Paul II Statue at the NCS.
All I have shared is just a tip of the Ice berg of my sweet memories of a Chris-like pastoral diplomat who offered his time and resources – availability and intellect in humble service to the Church and the people, in such a remarkable manner within a relatively short period of four years. As I enter the sixth year of my second missionary journey to Ghana, I have encountered the Apostolic Nuncio in four out of the five GCBC plenary Assemblies I was privileged to witness. He was actively present at the opening and or concluding Ceremonies at the Keta-Akatsi Diocese, Wa Diocese, Donkokrom Vicariate and Sunyani Diocese. In all of these, he made his presentations, interacted with the various groups and ate the local food of the people.
To crown it all, he compiled a compendium of a book, “Ghana In My Heart” and presented it to the Church in Ghana and to the nation, as his parting gift and by extension, to the universal Church as a witness document that he has fulfilled the mission for which Pope Francis sent him as his representative to Ghana and to the world. As a missionary at my own level, what lessons have I learnt from the life and work of the out-gone Apostolic Nuncio, and from my sweet memories of him? What about you?
By Sr. Elizabeth Mgbaramuko, SHCJ
