It is also celebrated as the day for Consecrated Life, since the Religious persons, by virtue of their calling, have been presented and consecrated to the Lord.
Religious men and women of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom in Ghana’s Eastern Region, were not left out in this year’s celebration. They gathered in the Small Chapel of the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, for a Solemn Holy Mass to mark this special day, which began with the customary procession into the Church with lighted candles.
The Feast Day Mass was officiated by the Local Ordinary, Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, and concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Bernard Appiah Adjei, Administrator of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, Fr. Dionisius Kopong OLA, SVD, Parish Priest of St. Joseph Freinademetz Parish, Ekye-Amanfrom, Fr. Gregorius Boss, SVD, Parish Priest of St. Mary Mother of God Parish, Adeemra and Fr. Coleman Aloysius Akrereke Getor, CSSp, Parish Priest of St. Theresa Parish, Samanhyia, who did the homily for the day.
In his homily, Fr. Getor challenged his fellow Religious, to not just be Christ-like, but to actually be other Christs by virtue of the Vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, which they took after the example of Christ, who himself left a perfect example.
To him, Consecrated Persons should go within the recesses of their hearts and reflect whether they still deserve to be called ‘Religious’ still fit to be presented, and whether they are carrying out their mission in “Truth and Diligence” as it is meant to be.
The Feast of the Presentation for a religious person, he maintained, calls all, to re-consecrate themselves to the Lord, as they did on the day of their First Profession. They should pray for the grace to remain in Christ and continue to do that for which they were called, namely, to do the Will of God.
Other activities featured during the celebration of Consecrated Life, included a talk on Self-Care in the Life of Consecrated Men and Women, delivered by Fr. Bernard Appiah, who underscored the importance of self-care in the life of a Religious person, as it protects their health, sustains their ministry and fosters a deep, and more sustainable relationship with God.
He opined that self-care is grounded in the principle that one cannot pour from an empty cup; that is one can only give what he or she has, hence, caring for oneself is essential, for more effective witnessing.
The priest encouraged his fellow religious to take proper care of themselves amidst the busy and sometimes, overwhelming nature of their apostolates, in order to sustain their services and prevent burnout, maintain their physical and mental wellbeing, as well as enhance their Spiritual and Vocational renewal.
In an interview with DEPSOCOM-AVD, Sr. Stella Nwosu, MSHR, one of the Coordinators of Religious for the Vicariate, expressed that the Feast of the Presentation is a day of joy for all religious, which reminds them of their call to honour the Divine invitation to follow him more closely.
Speaking to DEPSOCOM-AVD, Rev. Fr. Bernard Appiah, who doubles as the National President for African Union of Religious, Ghana (ARUG), maintained that the Feast of the Presentation is a reminder to all religious that they are the light wherever they find themselves, and so have the duty to bring Christ to one another.
The celebration of Consecrated Life could not have been complete without the refreshment part, which crowned the events of the day. The Consecrated Persons treated themselves to a good lunch, provided by all, at the Alfons Merten’s Centre Refectory.
Present at the celebration were representatives from the three female Congregations in the Vicariate, namely: the Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church, SMMC, and the Missionary Sisters of our Lady of the Holy Rosary (MSHR).
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR
