St Patrick Catholic Church elevated to parish
The St Patrick Catholic Church, situated within the religious enclave of Atomic Energy, Kwabenya in Accra, last Sunday climaxed its 40th anniversary celebration with a special mass, dedication of its new church building, consecration of the altar and blessing of the mission house.
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Also, the Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, the Metropolitan Bishop of Accra, who celebrated the mass, formally upgraded the church, which hitherto was operating under a ‘parochial administration’, to the status of a parish.
Following that the priest in charge, Rev. Father Bernard Kwasi Kyei, took the oath of office before the Archbishop, who has power over the metropolitan jurisdiction, to become the first official priest of the St Patrick Parish.
The statue of St Patrick of Ireland, the patron saint after whom the church is named, was also unveiled.
In attendance was the Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, the Bishop of Konongo-Mampong, who had, in the early days when the church held its services in a classroom, pastored the congregation.
Sermon
In his sermon, the Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle said from small beginnings as a fellowship in classrooms 40 years ago, members of the church had succeeded in putting up a magnificent building.
“It is through your efforts and the efforts of the leadership of the church that this has become possible,” he added.
He reminded the parishioners that it was not just the beautiful building that mattered but the fact that the members of the church were the living souls that God was going to use to His glory.
“The house of the Lord is not just the building but each one of us. We are the building blocks for the house of the Lord. We must live our lives conscious of the fact that the Lord Jesus died for us and it is contingent on us to live holy lives to His glory,” he urged.
St Magdalene of Canossa
In line with the church’s belief in the communion of saints, a relic of St Magdalene of Canossa, who is the Founder of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, was placed under the altar.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle prayed that the qualities of St Magdalene of Canossa would be reflected in the lives of members of the church.
“Wherever you are as a Catholic, you must let your light shine. Whether you are a politician, a businessman or anywhere you find yourself, let your light shine, that people will give glory to your Father in Heaven,” he prayed.
He urged the congregation to be consumed by the zeal of the Lord, which is evident in sacrifices and by dedicated service to the work of God.
The President of the Parish Pastoral Council, Mr Albert Akurugu, paid glowing tribute to the founding fathers of the church and current members who had played different roles in the attainment of the parish status.
He recalled the first mass of the church, with 40 people, made up of 12 adults and 28 children, in the Class One classroom of the Atomic D/A School on Sunday, December 8, 1974.