The Jasikan Diocese, host of the upcoming Fourth National Eucharistic Congress, has begun massive publicity in all Parishes by encouraging Priests, Religious and lay faithful to patronise the paraphernalia being printed for the programme.
Addressing the lay faithful of the Diocese at the Sacred Heart Parish at Chinderi recently, Rev. Fr. Frank Offin-Sekyere, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), said it was mandatory for all to purchase the stickers, T’ Shirts, and cloth to be printed by the National Steering Committee as souvenirs for remembrance.
The Congress expected to be attended by over 10,000 Catholics from all over the country from August 7 to 13 would be on the theme: The Eucharist and the New Evangelization.
Fr. Offin-Sekyere, who is the Director of Communications of the Diocese, urged the Priests and lay faithful of the Diocese to publicise the event in their homes, Parishes and Communities since the Diocese was the first in the Volta Region to be privileged to host the event.
He said it was also expected that all the faithful- women, men and youth- would support the work of the LOC and massively be involved in the preparations for the event.
He assured the National Steering Committee that the Congress would be one of the best ever in the country.
Fr. Offin-Sekyere told the gathering that the participants including the faithful of Jasikan would take part in a series of catechism sessions, which would focus on different dimensions of the Eucharist, daily celebration and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Processions and Durbars.
He said the event would also have a Study-session for 250 National Delegates, made up of Priests, Religious, youth, men and women, from all the 20 Dioceses which are expected to sponsor ten persons each for the study session.
Fr. Offin-Sekyere stated that Topics for the Study Session included: The Eucharist and our Care of the Environment, The Eucharist and the Social Media, The Eucharist and the Church’s Dialogue with the Youth, The Eucharist and the Church’s Dialogue with the Poor, the Sick and the Suffering, The Eucharist and the Family, The Eucharist makes the Church, and the Church makes the Eucharist.
He explained that a Eucharistic Congress is a celebration of the Catholic Church which brings the people of God together specifically to raise awareness on the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Church.
Internationally, the Catholic Church usually organises Eucharistic Congresses every four years with specific themes to help it reflect on her life. The most recent one (the 51st International Eucharistic Congress) was held in Cebu, Philippines from January 24 -31, 2016 on the theme: Christ in you, our Hope of glory (cf. Col. 1:27).
Ghana, since 1951 has organised three such Congresses – in Kumasi, from February 19 to 26, 1951; in Tamale, from January 5 to 11, 1998; and in Kumasi again, from November 18 to 21, 2005.
