Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Accra (Agenzia Fides) - At the end of celebrations for the Centenary of Evangelisation in northern Ghana (see Fides 21 and 23 April 2007), Fides spoke with the local Catholic Bishop Lucas Abadamloora who is in charge of the diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga.
In just 100 years the Church in Ghana has experienced amazing spiritual and numerical growth. What factors in your opinion, allowed first the missionaries and now the local clergy, to achieve such results?
Yes, it is true that in attaining 100 years, the Church in Northern Ghana has experienced tremendous growth, both spiritually and numerically. This achievement is a result of a combination of factors among which include: a commitment on the part of the first missionaries to implant the Gospel among the people. In spite of the numerous challenges they faced at the beginning: political, social, economic, cultural, religious and others, the early missionaries were committed to sowing the seed of the gospel which survived, sprouted and began to bear fruits and continues to do so to this day. But this would not have been possible without the active participation and collaboration of the early catechists who worked hand in hand with the early missionaries to ensure that the seed was sown. Their participation helped the local people identify with the Gospel; hence the early converts in Navrongo, Bolgatanga, Jirapa, Wiaga, and Nandom etc.
One other factor that led to mass conversion from the traditional religion to Catholicism was the love of Africans by these missionaries, which was demonstrated in the provision of social services to the people. The missionaries provided health services to the local people. In fact, they treated their sores and cured them of simple ailments that they were suffering from. These actions, coupled with the desire to learn the language and culture of the people endeared them to the local people because they experienced true love from these “strangers” and therefore decided to join the “new religion” - Catholicism.
The early missionaries, apart from preaching the Gospel, established schools, clinics, and agriculture institutions in order to improve the lives of the people. Having played a pioneering role in many of the above areas, the Church in Northern Ghana can currently boast of having the best educational institutions, hospitals and clinics, all providing excellent services to the people. The first crop of local priests and religious were also committed to the spread of the Gospel. They immediately took to the good example of the early missionaries by seeing to both the spiritual and material needs of the people. They took the Gospel message to their own people thereby facilitating its acceptance among them. Today, thanks to the efforts of these missionaries, the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province has a good number of local priests and religious who continue to bring the Gospel message to the doorsteps of the people. They administer to the people in various fields including: sharing the word of God in parishes, teaching in the schools, caring for the sick in clinics and hospitals, assisting farmers in improving both crop and animal productions among others. There is no gainsaying the fact that today, the invaluable services that are being provided by the local clergy have led to an increase in confidence among the people in the Catholic Church.
How did the local Church prepare to celebrate the Centenary? In your opinion what spiritual benefits will this anniversary bring?
The Church in Northern Ghana has for the past 6 years been preparing for the centenary. During these years the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the province have been engaged in spiritual exercises such as embarking on pilgrimages to spiritual centres for retreats and prayer, discussions on topics to deepen the faith of the people, formation of a centenary anthem and centenary prayer which is prayed in all the parishes. The yearlong celebrations began in May last year in the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, precisely in Navrongo where it all began 100 years ago. The Archdiocese of Tamale, and the dioceses of Damongo and Yendi took their turn in…while Wa celebrated on…From April 21 to 23rd. 2007 the Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga would host the final celebrations to draw down the curtains of this yearlong event. As part of the final celebrations, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI has sent Ivan Cardinal Dias as his special envoy. He joins the people of the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province in giving thanks to God for the many graces that the Church in this part of the country has received during the past hundred years. His presence in the celebration has a lot of spiritual significance for the people of Ghana and the North in particular as it affords the people of the province the opportunity to be united in a special way with the Pope, their spiritual leader. The event therefore serves as an encouragement to the people, clergy, and religious and lay faithful to continue the missionary work of their ancestors in faith. It is worth noting that, as part of the centenary celebration, the Holy Father elevated Peter Porekuu Dery, Archbishop Emeritus of Tamale to the status of a Cardinal and raised the Mud Cathedral of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows in Navrongo to a Minor Basilica. These blessings have brought the Church in Northern Ghana closer to the Universal Church, thereby deepening the belief of the people in the unity of the Church. Today, the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows has become a place where people from the province and from neighbouring countries can turn to for many spiritual benefits. These include: receiving of indulgences on special occasions, pastoral formation and a place for devotion among others. Throughout the celebration, the people have demonstrated that the Church is one. The active participation of the lay faithful, in the talks and in the liturgical celebrations that marked the event has indicated that the occasion has deepened the faith of Catholics in the province. The occasion offered the people the opportunity to hold discussions, retreats and to find ways of becoming better witnesses of the Gospel, thereby deepening their faith. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 26/4/2007 righe 64 parole 773)
