The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, has stressed the need for Ghanaian workers to be honest, dedicated and committed to duty in the footsteps of St. Joseph the Worker who was a hardworking carpenter.
Preaching the Homily at a Mass at the St. Joseph the Worker Rectorate at Medie on May 1, the Archbishop decried indiscipline among some Ghanaian workers in the country who fail to work diligently, advising them to be law abiding and have respect for authority.
The Mass was to climax the Archbishop’s three-day Pastoral visit to the Church and its three Outstations- St. Peter’s, Adjen Kotoku; Divine Mercy, Papase and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Samsam.
The Mass was concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Robert Billy Gbettey, Priest-in-Charge and Rev. Fr. Thomas D’mello, SVD.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said that workers were not only those who earned salary but all who do petty trading and artisans, asking the unemployed youth to always pray to St. Joseph for decent jobs.
He urged Christians to use their God-given talents for the good of society, saying that they must work with their strength since it had been given to them by the Holy Spirit.
Love and use whatever gift God has given you, he added, encouraging men and husbands to follow the footsteps of St. Joseph, husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus, who listened to the Holy Spirit.
He reminded the faithful that whoever they were and whatever there were, was a gift from God which they had to safeguard and protect by intensifying their prayers to the Holy Spirit.
The Archbishop advised Catholics against tribal tendencies which was creeping into the Church where some parents would not allow their children to marry from particular ethnic groups.
He noted that as Christians, all ethnic groups were one people created in the image and likeness of God, encouraging inter-ethnic marriages in the Church.
At the Mass, the Archbishop administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 137 Catholics and asked them to glorify God with their bodies and avoid intemperate languages.
He urged the Confirmandi to lead good lives devoid of dishonesty, lies and shot cuts in achieving their desires.
The Archbishop was earlier met in a brass band procession to the Church and inspected a Guard of Honour mounted by the Knights and Ladies of St. John International and the Catholic Youth Organisation (CYO).
The Medie St. Joseph Church was started on April 4, 1994 by six Parishioners of St. John the Baptist Church at Nsawam in the Koforidua Diocese led by Mr. Joseph Baffour-Gyimah, who is currently the Catechist.
The founders were among the early settlers of Medie in 1990, who decided to start a Church to avoid travelling long distances for Mass.
According to Mr. Baffour-Gyimah, the Church started as an Outstation of St. John Baptist pastored by late Rev. Fr. Anthony Baiden Amissah, who celebrated the first Mass in 1995, with the naming of the Church Joseph after the founder. .
In 2000, the Church became an Outstation under St. Francis Xavier Parish at Kotobabi in the Accra Archdiocese; later in 2010 becoming an Outstation of St. Sylvanus Parish and in 2013, a Rectorate with Fr. Gbettey as the Priest in charge.
Currently, the Church has over 500 parishioners with about 10 Societies and Groups.
Mr. Baffour-Gyan has opened three other Churches – In 1999, the Holy Family Church at Dobro in the Koforidua Diocese; 2006, Holy Trinity Church at Sapeiman and in 2015, Immaculate Heart of Mary at Samsam.
