Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Accra (Agenzia Fides)- Monday 23 April will mark the closing of celebrations started on 25 Mary 2006 for the centenary of the evangelisation of northern Ghana. On 23 April 1906 a group of White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa) coming from Burkina Faso celebrated the first Mass at Navrongo in the territory of what is today the ecclesiastic province of Tamale.
Centenary celebrations began in May 2006, when the Bishops of Ghana were in Rome to make their ad Limina visit to Pope Benedict XVI. On that occasion the Pope said: “I know this is a special jubilee year for the Church in Ghana. Yesterday 23 April there were celebrations for the centenary of the arrival of the first missionaries in the northern part of your country. I pray that missionary zeal may continue to fill you and your beloved people and strengthen you in your efforts to spread the Gospel ” (see Fides 25 April 2006).
The closing Mass for the centenary celebrations in the cathedral of Navrongo on Monday 23 April will be presided by Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.
Pope Benedict XVI sent a letter to Cardinal Dias appointing him his Special Envoy for the celebrations and sending his special apostolic blessing to all the participants. The Cardinal is accompanied by Bishop Roger Aboteyuure of the diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga and Fr Francis Bomamsam provincial superior of the Missionaries of Africa in Ghana and Nigeria.
Present for the celebrations besides representatives of the government and various institutions and the Bishops of Ghana, various foreign delegations including representatives from the German diocese of Munster, twinned with that of Navrongo-Bolgatanga and delegations from United States, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Togo and Benin.
Cardinal Dias, former nuncio in Ghana, will be in the country for 10 days, visiting the northern regions. In Tamale he will meet Seminarians and preside a Mass for young people. On April 25 Cardinal Dias will go to Kumasi to pray at the tomb of Bishop James Owusu and lay a foundation stone for a new office building annexed to the Catholic University of Ghana. Also in Kumasi he will preside the laying of the foundation stone for a new major seminary. In Cape Coast he will have meetings with the local bishops, priests, religious and seminarians. On April 28 the Cardinal will preside Mass to mark the 50th anniversary of the St Peter Pedu Seminary; on 30 April he will celebrate mass for Catholic laity in Accra Cathedral and preside a Marian Liturgy at the Shrine of Kpando on 1 May. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/4/2007 righe 40 parole 490)
