Catholic Archdiocese of Accra Holds 2022 Diaconate Ordination
The catholic Archdiocese of Accra has been blessed with 5 deacons who were ordained on Wednesday, January 05, 2022 at the Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Madina.
The diaconate ordination saw Priests, religious and Catholic Faithful as well as family and well-wishers grace the occasion to support the ordinands in their journey to becoming deacons.
The candidates for the ordination were; Joy Senanu Kwamla Ofori-Kumeni (Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Madina), Solomon Yayra Xeflide (St. Agnes Catholic Church, Dodowa), Louis Mendy (Resurrection Parish), Dominic Kwame Adjei (St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ashaley Botwe) and Gerald Owusu – Amankwatia (St. James Catholic Church, Osu.
Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra was the main celebrant as well the ordaining Bishop while Rev Fr. Peter Kofi Atsu was the homilist.
In his homily he was grateful to God for the gift of the 5 young men to be ordained as deacons and was also grateful to their parents and other stake holders for supporting their wards’ decisions to embrace this life of service to the Church and humanity.
Fr. Peter reflecting on the readings for the day, particularly the first reading from Exodus 40:9-16, touched on how Moses was careful in obeying God’s instructions in the smallest detail thus; when he was directed to build the tabernacle.
He reminded the deacons that they were chosen by God to be Christ’s representative on earth and that is why in the light of this truth Paul in the second reading challenges them to live lives worthy of the calling they have received. This he said includes being humble, gentle patient, understanding and peaceful.
He called on them to learn to appreciate people who are different from them and see how their differing gifts and viewpoints can help the church in God’s work.
As deacons he charged them to be the ear, mouth, heart and soul of the Bishop and be at the service of the Bishop in order that the Bishop may serve the whole people of God and take care of the sick and poor.
“Genuinely, love the people of God, be of service to them, break the word of God in the simplest language for them to understand and appreciate. Bring Christ whose life and ministry you share in, to the faithful”, he added.
A deacon is an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. There are three groups, or “orders,” of ordained ministers in the Church: bishops, presbyters and deacons. Deacons are ordained as a sacramental sign to the Church and to the world of Christ, who came “to serve and not to be served.”
The entire Church is called by Christ to serve, and the deacon, in virtue of his sacramental ordination and through his various ministries, is to be a servant in a servant-Church.
Source: DEPSOCOM Accra/E.S.D
