A Priest of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, the Rev. Fr. Bonaventure Gnaha, MCCJ, has urged fathers of Our Lady of Assumption (OLA) Catholic Church, New Achimota, Accra, to endeavour to perform their duties as fathers with love, dedication and commitment to the growth of their families.
Preaching the homily at the 1st and 2nd Masses on Father’s Day, June 16, 2024, he challenged the fathers to examine their consciences in performing their roles as fathers that would their families grow from strength to strength.
Fr. Gnaha, who is the Chaplain of the Laity at OLA Parish, said fathers as co-creators on earth need to be appreciated for whom they are, averring, “We have to celebrate fathers because it is not our doing but by God’s grace and not your own to be a man,” he stated.
Adding, he said that “In fatherhood, there is motherhood that is why it is good for a man to leave his family and be united to the wife.”
He thanked fathers in OLA Parish for their hard work in bringing up children to a respectable adulthood, urging the people of God, especially fathers, to endeavour to wish and have good plans for their children.
Meanwhile, at the Children Mass, Very Rev. Fr. Francisco Machado, MCCJ, Parish Priest of OLA Parish, who presided, congratulated fathers for caring for their children and urged the young ones to ensure they respected their parents.
He said it was the desire of God to see His children grow in wisdom, mind, stature and the fear of the Lord, a duty, he intimated that fathers must shoulder.
He pointed out that God also expected children to respect their parents, who sometimes go through that many challenges that the children had no idea.
Fr. Machado asked the children to always pray for their parents to succeed in life, urging them to study hard at school to make their parents proud.
On Father’s Day, June 16, fathers who were once Mass Servers had the opportunity to once again serve the Lord on His Altar while some also took the readings, commentaries, ushering and bidding prayers at the three Masses held in the Parish.
Citations were presented to eight fathers, one of them posthumously for their diverse meritorious support to the youth of OLA Parish.
The aim of Father’s Day award is to recognise the significant role fathers and mentors play in their children and youth well-being and development to raise awareness of the value of fathers and mentors in the family and the OLA community.
It identifies and honours outstanding fathers for their exceptional commitment to raising their children or for their exemplary contribution to the development of children at home and in the OLA community.
This award showcases the outcomes of the internationally mandated Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative, and would serve as future incentive to the father’s we strive to serve.
The 2024 Father’s Day awards in OLA Parish were in two categories: Four were awarded as Fathers who are youthful and have excelled in various ways through their activities to raise the image of OLA Parish at the youth level in OLA, Deanery, Archdiocesan and National and four Adult Fathers who have supported the Youth in diverse ways over the years.
The awardees were: first Mass – Mr. Tom Dakurah, Justice James Benuyenah Benson, Mr. Joseph Buernortey Rottmann Obu and Mr. Carlos Fugar; second Mass- Dr. Alfred Gardemor and the late Paschal Zobata Kpiinzie; Children Mass- Mr. Godwin Yao Katako and Dr. Aaron Makafui Ametorwo.
The Citations extol the awardees for their exceptional dedication and selfless service to the OLA Parish community, especially the youth and also for their unwavering commitment that has had a lasting impact the young ones.
“As we celebrate 2024 Father’s Day, we pray that you would continue to provide your steadfast support to the youth and children, guiding them to seek Jesus and lead exemplary lives. Your legacy of dedication, love, and unyielding faith is a beacon for all,” all the eight Citations stated.
As part of the celebration, the fathers of OLA Parish donated two pink/rose Chasubles to the Parish to be used by the Priests on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and Laetare Sunday (fourth Sunday of Lent).
As their commitment and love to children, the fathers also refreshed of the Parish numbering about 300.
By Damian Avevor
