Over 500 members of the Christian Mothers Association (CMA) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, have embarked on a pilgrimage to the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto at Kpando Agbenorxoe in the Ho Diocese during which they were entreated to intensify their prayers for the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in families.
Rev. Fr. David Seyram Addo, Associate Priest of the Immaculate Conception Parish at Kpando, who made the call, on June 1, 2024, entreated all Mothers and Catholics in general to continuously pray to Mother Mary to help them bring their families together.
The two-day spiritual pilgrimage to Grotto at Kpando Agbenorxoe from Friday, May 31 to Saturday, June 1, 2024, was on the theme: Come and Experience the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Reflecting on the Church and the role of Mother Mary in the family, he said “if we build our family on the Catholic faith, our children would remain in the Church.”
He also urged them to help build the Church because if the families are broken, it would affect the growth of the Church, asking them to seek the will of God every time in our lives.
Fr. Addo, who is also the Kpando Deanery Chaplain of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, urged the Mothers to remember their families in prayers, that Mother Mary will come and be the Queen of their families and bring about peace.
“As Mothers, you should always desire to bear the fruits of Mother Mary,” Fr. Addo said, encouraging that “Our lives should be different upon our return home.”
He assured them that miracles would happen and their stories would change after embarking on this pilgrimage.
“Whatever that brings us pain, may Mother Mary come to bring us help. May all Mothers have peace, comfort and blessings,” Fr. Addo added.
Led by the Accra Archdiocesan President, Mother Eunice Dumashie, the Mothers joined the Catholic Community to participate in a Rosary prayers and procession to end the Month of May from the town to the grotto in honour of mother Mary.
The Director of the Grotto, Rev. Fr. Daniel Aliou Mane of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) Congregation who welcomed the pilgrims, entreated to have time with Mother Mary at the Grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes.
He encouraged Mothers to take the opportunity of the serene environment to pray for their personal needs.
As part of the pilgrimage, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Pani, the Ho Diocesan Chaplain of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) Movement led the Mothers in praises and
Worship, adoration and healing service during which many testimonies were made by mothers.
The Mothers also had a talk on Mother Mary delivered by Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Nwaneri, OMI the Parish Priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Church at Agbenorxoe, who narrated the miraculous events of Mother Mary.
He encouraged the Mothers and all Catholics to announce the message that Mother Mary is the mother of all humanity, the advocate, mediator, and everything.
Touching on the power of the Rosary prayer and devotion to Mary, he entreated the Mothers to unceasingly pray the Rosary and see it as a weapon to fight the devil.
“The Rosary is the first enemy of the devil. Mary always asks us to do penance and to pray for our Priests. We must pray with good hearts in any position,” Fr. Nwaneri said.
Fr. Hyacinth also gave a brief history of the formation of their Congregation, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate with over 700 missionaries working in 72 countries across the world.
After the talk, there was a Rosary procession from the Church to the Grotto, followed by Stations of the Cross through the hills to journey in memory of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ led by Rev. Fr. Jean Baptiste Apouvi, OMI, Assistant Parish Priest of the Agbenorxoe Church.
Mother Eunice Dumashie, the Accra Archdiocesan President launched the 2024 Archdiocesan 10th Biennial Conference slated for September 4 to 8, 2024 at the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra.
As part of its social responsibility, the Accra CMA presented a cheque for GHc5, 000.00 towards the projects at the Grotto and some items to be shared to the people in the Agbenorxoe community.
Fr. Mane thanked the Executives and members of the CMA for their time spent at the Grotto and that God will answer all our prayer petitions, secret prayers and grant us healing.
