From Kwesi Yirenkyi Boateng
Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, has challenged Catholic Priests in the West African Sub-Region to commit to efforts to promote Ecumenism that would foster growth and development in member countries.
Calling Priests to be missionaries to Africa, he urged them to lead efforts in Inter-religious affairs, as well as be at the forefront in building effective relations with civil authorities in the Sub-Region to engender peace and help address the challenges confronting many countries of West Africa and Africa at large.
The Archbishop said this at the opening of the Fifth Congress of the Regional Union of Priests of West Africa at Koforidua, and entreated Priests to collaborate more with their Bishops to ensure growth and development.
He re-echoed the call of Pope Paul VI to African Priests in Kamapala in 1969 at the formation of SECAM, to be missionaries to Africans and to reach out to the world.
“Start looking at yourselves as missionaries to yourselves” the Archbishop said, urging Priests to be concerned with the happening in the universal Church.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Most Rev. Jean-Marie Spiech in an address, urged Priests to look at Mary as their mother and heed the invitation of the Church to love and venerate Mary by imitating her virtues.
He said since the Blessed Virgin Mary was a perfect mother for Priests, they should reflect on her tender care in the pilgrimage of our faith.
In an address, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Martin Onukwuba, President of RUPWA, recounted that the birth of the Association in November 2012, with a directive of Bishops of the joint Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) to Priest from 11 countries within the Sub-Region to hold a Constitutive Assembly of the Association.
He commended the Government and people of Ghana for the warm reception accorded the delegates, and commended the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) for championing peace and supporting the development of the country.
“For us to gather and operate on this level suggest that we want to contribute our quota to the development of our Region” he said.
Most Rev. Michael Ekwoy Apochi, Nigeria Bishop of Otupo and Episcopal Chairman of the RUPWA, assured the Priests of the support of the Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa.
He thanked the GCBC, Archdiocese of Accra and the Diocese of Koforidua for their efforts in hosting the Congress.
Opening the Congress, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Francis Appiah-Kubi, President of the National Union of Ghana Diocesan Priests Association (NUGDPA), said even though they were Religious and Priests, they were concerned about the regional integration of West African Countries.
The six-day Congress was on theme: Behold your Mother: Mary in the Heart of Priestly Ministry.
It was attended by over 50 delegates from 12 member countries of the West African Sub-Region including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’ Ivoire , Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Ghana.
