By Justina Paaga / Emmanuel Gamson
Takoradi, Sept. 08, GNA – Some fourteen Catholic Priests in the Sekondi-Takoradi Catholic Diocese have celebrated their 25th, 26th and 40th Anniversaries of being ordained as Priests of the church.
Eight of them celebrated their silver jubilee and one marked his 26th year of service as a Priest, while the rest also celebrated their 40th Anniversary of Priestly ordination.
They were the Very Reverend Father James Yamekeh Ackah, Very Rev. Fr. Peter Amoah, Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Ade Amodine, and Very Rev. Fr. Richard Kwayie Danquah.
Others were Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Nii Noi Dowuona, Very Rev. Fr. John Baptist Ephraim, Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Bradford Eshun and Very Rev. Fr. Anthony Kodwo Eshun as those that celebrated their 25th anniversary.
The Very Rev. Fr. Raphael Boah Mensah marked his 26th year as a Priest.
Those who celebrated their 40th Anniversary were the Very Rev. Fr. Albert Amakye, Very Rev. Fr. Samuel Ebuley Afful, Very Rev. Fr. Francis Kwamena Arthur, Very Rev. Fr. James Kobina Arthur and Very Rev. Fr. Philip Arku Tandoh.
The Most Rev. John Baptist Attakruh, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi, during a thanksgiving Mass held at Mary Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Cathedral, congratulated them for their years of dedication and hard work to responding to God’s call with faith, hope and love.
He said: “These devoted priests, who have spent a quarter-century and half-century in service to their faith, have indeed illuminated their communities and institutions with their unwavering ministry and presence”.
Bishop Attakruh, applauded them for their remarkable services to the work of God, and prayed that they would remain fruitful in their priestly ministries and bring joy and a sense of fulfilment to their congregations.
The Very Rev. Fr. Eshun, one of the celebrants, in a sermon, said it was the Lord who had stood by them throughout the years of being ordained as Priests.
He said since they served in the Holy name of God, the Lord had been their shepherd and fortress through whom they got their strength to continue their service to the church and humanity.
The Very Rev. Fr. John Baptist Ephraim, on behalf of the other celebrants thanked the leadership and members of the Sekondi-Takoradi Catholic Dioceses for their support and guidance throughout their service as Priests over the years.
The mass led by very Fr Philip Tandoh was attended by more than 100 priests, Reverend brothers and sisters, Chiefs and parishioners from all the parishes in the Diocese.
The celebrants were each presented with a vestment and undisclosed amount of money as a token to mark their anniversary
GNA