The funeral Mass was officiated by the Most Rev. Francis Bomansaan, M.Afr., Bishop of Wa, and concelebrated by Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Bishop of Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate, and a score of Priests from within and outside the Diocese.
In an address at the beginning of the Mass, Fr. Nangwelle gave a brief history of the life of his mother, which, for him, replaced any tributes. “Whose tribute was I going to take, and whose tribute was I going to leave out?” he wondered.
According to Priest, his mother, born in 1940, as the 3rd child among twelve children, was a woman who hardly ever gave up; she was very resilient and persevering.
He added that Madam Nangwelle’s life revolved around family, Church and community. Community. She belonged to the Christian Mothers’ Association, the Sacred Heart of Jesus Confraternity, the Legion of Mary and the St. Monica Widows’ Association.
He heartily welcomed all who had gathered for the burial Mass of his dear mother, most especially his home Bishop, and his own Bishop, the Bishop of Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate, who had travelled all the way, and who did the Final Commendation.
He also extended warm regards to the Priests, Religious, Delegation from Donkorkrom, his Colleagues from the University of Education, Winneba, Chiefs and traditional rulers, government and official dignitaries, various church societies, the Kalsegra community, among others, who had come to sympathise with him and his family.
He was indebted to all the doctors, nurses, family members, friends, Priests, and lay faithful, who took good care of his mother in Tamale, during her illness, which began some six years ago, till her demise on June 18, 2025.
Msgr. Christopher Bazaanah, of St. Monica Parish, Nyankpala, Tamale, who did the homily, reflected on the theme: “Let not your hearts be troubled; trust in God and trust in me; for there are many rooms in my Father’s house; if there were not, I should have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you with me, so that where I am, you may be too” drawn from the Gospel of the day (Jn 14:1-6).
He maintained that this act of preparing a place for humankind signifies Jesus’s deep love and care for those who believe in him.
The homilist, who had known Madam Margaret personally, over the past 40 years, expressed with firm conviction that the Lord had gone and prepared a place for her and had returned to take her back to himself. Hence, “when our rooms, too, are ready, the Lord will come and take us to live with Him on his ‘Holy Mountain’, where there will be neither mourning nor crying nor pain nor death (cf. Rev 21:4-5),” he professed.
He, however, reiterated that the promised rooms were meant for those who believe in God and do His Will. Contrarily, “those who live for themselves only, those who are wicked and uncharitable to others, those who are proud, selfish, greedy, immoral, deceivers, extortioners, unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God,” he maintained.
According to him, Madam Margaret Nangwelle was simply a good woman; “a woman of unshakable faith, and a woman of prayer. She had great love for the Holy Mass and the Rosary. Despite her old age, ebbing strength and painful illness, she hardly missed Mass and her Rosary prayers. In her troubled times, she would always say, ‘Only God knows, He will save us,’ he recounted.
Bishop Asiedu, who had prioritised the funeral of his brother Priest’s mother, over the Solemnity of Assumption Mass back in Donkorkrom, which he was supposed to preside over, and travelled on the “very far away” journey to Wa, maintained that if Fr. Linus had come from Wa Diocese to Donkorkrom, and didn’t find that way too long, “to belong to us, and to help and serve our people, it shouldn’t be too long also for us to come here to be with him, to mourn with him, in a difficult moment like this,” he said.
“We are happy that we made it and we continue to pray for the soul of our dear mother, Margaret,” he celebrated, thanking all who had joined the family to bid farewell to their mother, daughter, and Sister.
According to Bishop Asiedu, who had had the opportunity to visit Madam Margaret in her home while she was still alive, she was “a very simple, calm, unassuming woman”. The gift of a fowl which he had received from her at the end of his impromptu visit was only one of the testimonies about this charitable woman. He reaffirmed “her generosity, her love, her kindness”.
“We have lost a wonderful person. We have lost a great disciple of Christ. We have lost a great witness of the Lord,” he mourned, praying that her good example may be a true legacy that will remain in the family, especially in her children, and that through them, we will always recognise the Lord that she served so well, while on earth.
Speaking on behalf of the University of Education, Winneba, where Fr. Linus works, Prof. Lucy Effeh Attom, Dean of the Faculty of Liberal and Social Studies Education, expressed sincere gratitude to all who had travelled from far and near to join the funeral Mass of their beloved mother, Margaret Nangwelle.
Prof. Effeh, who doubles as Advisory Board Chairperson of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, University of Education, Winneba, where Fr. Nangwelle, together with one other Priest, celebrates Masses, confessed that ever since the demise of their mother, people have continued to support Fr. Linus and family in diverse ways.
“Your kind words, your love, the support, we appreciate every bit of them,” she thanked. She prayed for God’s blessings and protection upon all who had joined them to mourn, even as they returned to their various destinations.
Among those present at the funeral Mass were some representatives from the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, who had accompanied the Bishop, including Rev. Fr. Bernard Kwabena Amfo, Assisting Priest at St. Joseph Parish, Maame Krobo, to which Fr. Linus belongs, representing the Diocesan Priests Association (DODPA), Mr. John Bosco, a Parishioner at the same Parish, among others.
Also present were the members of the University of Education, Winneba community, among others.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, AVD).
