It was a thunderous, yet solemn moment for the Consecrated Men and women gathered in Sunyani, for their Jubilee Year celebration as they welcomed His Excellency Most Rev. Julien Kaboré, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, alongside five Ghanaian bishops to the ceremonial ground at the Pastoral Centre.
The arrival of the Church fathers during a panel discussion in the evening of February 1, 2025 gave additional aura to the whole ceremony, and as soon as they were ushered to their seats, the panel discussion continued. They were welcomed with the Jubilee Anthem “Let us Celebrate”.
In an address to the Consecrated People, which the Nuncio termed as “not a formal address”, but “just a short greeting,” he expressed renewed and profound gratitude to the Consecrated men and women for the warm welcome they accorded him through a delegation when he arrived Ghana few months ago, saying that such a fraternal gesture left a deep impression on him.
He was also indebted to the Local Ordinary of Sunyani Diocese, Most Rev. Mathew Gyamfi, for hosting the Religious, and His Grace, John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra Archdiocese, who had accompanied him all the way from Accra to the celebration.
The Nuncio also extended warm regards to the Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Bishop of Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate and Bishop responsible for the religious in Ghana, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu SVD, Bishop of Ho- Diocese and the Vice President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, as well as the Most Rev. Gabriel Edoe Kumordzi, SVD, Bishop of Keta- Akatsi Diocese, who had arrived Sunyani earlier on, together with all Consecrated men and women present.
The Nuncio was alarmed by the massive attendance of the Religious at the celebration (over 500 people) as he expressed that “Coming here, I didn’t expect to see so many religious”.
He was equally fascinated by the beautiful decoration in the meeting hall, clad with flowers of various shapes and colours, and wished that the Consecrated people, as many as they were; with the plurality and richness in their various charisms could be as “such a beautiful decoration for the local church in Ghana, so that it may express the beauty; the eternal and present beauty of Christ whom we follow”. “I think this is what we should be in the Church, especially the religious,” he emphasized.
Archbishop Kaboré wished all Consecrated People a fruitful meeting and prayed that they may always overflow in righteousness, holiness and grace, and together with the other Bishops present, he blessed the Consecrated men and women.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (Sister Communicator)
