The June 28, 2025 Solemn Holy Mass took place at the Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy Grotto at Bebusu, an Outstation of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, Samanhyia, in the Afram Plains South District.
Schools that participated at the Mass of the Immaculate Heart were St. Fidelis Senior High Technical School, Tease, St. Mary’s Vocational/Technical Senior High School, Adeemmra, and one representative from the Donkorkrom Agricultural Senior High School (DASHS).
The WASSCE candidates were accompanied by their School Chaplains, who had spearheaded the planning, and members of their respective school choirs, who helped enhance the liturgy of the day.
In a homily during the Mass, the Bishop underscored that the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is celebrated on the Saturday after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Saturday after the Second Sunday of Pentecost.
According to him, the Feast was initially known by various names such as the Pure Heart of Mary, the Holy Heart of Mary, and the Sacred Heart of Mary, but the expression “Immaculate Heart of Mary” was eventually adopted.
The heart, the prelate buttressed, symbolizes love and affection. “It represents a person’s deepest reality, the centre of his or her being,” he said.
He added that when people are suffering hurtful feelings, sorrow or agony, they are said to have “heartache”, and in a case where people are dejected and lost on account of such feelings, they are said to be “heart-broken”.
The Chief Shepherd underpinned yet other instances where the term “heart” is used.
He said, “to wish somebody to be courageous and confident, we say to the person “take heart”, and to engage in a sincere and open exchange of thoughts and ideas, we say we have heart-to-heart dialogue”.
On the other hand, he continued, when someone is disobedient, wicked or unteachable, we say he or she is hard-hearted. “Mary has a pure, holy, sacred, or immaculate heart; just like the heart of her Son, Jesus our Lord,” he accentuated.
According to the homilist, Mary is “the model of the pilgrimage of faith which we make in our hearts,” because she prepared a holy dwelling place for the Spirit in her heart wherein, as the perfect disciple, she treasured what she heard and saw of Jesus (Lk. 2:19; 51).
He urged all gathered to learn from Mary, who “teaches us how to offer hospitality to God in our heart, how to nourish ourselves with his Word, and how to live in total availability to Him”.
He further entreated all to love the Blessed Mother and honour her Immaculate Heart, in order to reap the enormous benefits.
Bishop Asiedu cautioned the WASSCE students to guard against the temptation of speaking ill against the name of the Blessed Mother, as some people take delight in doing.
“May it never happen, that a word of blasphemy against the Holy Mother arise in our hearts or fall from our lips,” he warned.
Rather, they should pray to her, ask for her help and guidance, that they might live a pure and blameless life and join her in praising Almighty God with clean hearts and pure minds.
Praying for good health of mind and body, and for success in the WASSCE exams, the Bishop entrusted all the candidates into the maternal love and care of Mary, their Mother, before, during and after the exams.
Concelebrating at the Mass of the Immaculate Heart were: Rev. Fr. Leopold, Ettuh, Chancellor of the Vicariate and Chaplain of St. Mary’s Vocational/Technical Senior High School, Adeemmra; Rev. Fr. Michael Awuah Ansah, Chaplain of St. Fidelis Senior High Technical School, Tease; Rev. Fr. Akrereke Coleman Getor, Parish Priest of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, Samanhyia; Rev. Fr. John Felix Awaitey Formedza Jnr., Parish Priest of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Amankwakrom, who doubles as the Vicariate Youth Chaplain/Vocations Director, and Rev. Fr. Gabriel Eddo Gyamfi, Assisting Priest at St. Fidelis Parish, Tease.
Speaking at the end of the Mass, Fr. Awuah Ansah said being the very first time the Vicariate was bringing final year students together to pray with them and for them, it would become an annual event.
The venue would rotate between Bebusu and Maame Krobo. He added that there would also be an annual Mass with the Bishop at the Cathedral in February, on the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, who is the Patron Saint of all students.
He further noted that a similar celebration would be organised for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates, with effect from next year, which will also be an annual occurrence.
The Priest expressed joy and satisfaction for the success of the event and prayed that the students may benefit fully from the graces and blessings received from the day’s celebration.
Other activities featured during the day’s programme included Rosary Procession from the Bebusu Church to the Grotto, the blessing of the WASSCE candidates along with their writing materials and a Talk on the topic: Elements of Success at School and Beyond.
Others were Confessions, Songs of Praise, Socialization, among others.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate)
