By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, Aug. 25, GNA – The Most Reverend Alfred Agyenta, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, has commended catechists for their sacrifices and dedication to sustaining the work of the Church, particularly in communities where priests are not readily available.
He said catechists played a critical role in keeping Catholic communities and outstations active through their voluntary service, often committing their time, personal resources and talents to advancing the Kingdom of God.
“Most of these people, most of the catechists, they do this voluntarily. They do this using their time, their resources and their talent to advance the Kingdom of God and in collaboration with the priests,” he stressed.
Bishop Agyenta made the commendation when he welcomed participants to the 2026 Annual National Delegates Conference of the National Union of Ghana Catholic Catechists Association (NUGCCA) in Bolgatanga.
The conference was on the theme: “Marriage as a Vocation and Sacrament.”
Bishop Agyenta expressed profound gratitude to both male and female catechists for their service, especially those working under difficult conditions and in areas where communities could wait for long periods before having access to a priest.
“They hold the fort. So, we want to say that we are grateful for that, but we are also aware of the challenges that they face,” he said.
He noted that the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese was exploring ways to provide greater support to catechists while encouraging priests to pay closer attention to them as important collaborators in the Church’s mission.
Bishop Agyenta said the Diocese also prioritised the formation and training of catechists because they needed adequate knowledge and preparation to effectively serve the faithful.
“That is why we put a lot of premium on forming those who must be the people at the various places,” he said.
He assured the catechists that the Diocese would continue to do everything possible to ensure they were well prepared and adequately supported to enable them to complement the work of priests.
The Bishop’s commendation comes as catechists across the country continue to support the Church’s pastoral activities, particularly in communities where priests cannot be present regularly.
Mr Lawrence Kobla Dafeamekpor, National Chairman of NUGCCA, said the vocation of catechists was not easy and required sacrifice and determination to effectively minister to the people.
“The vocation to the ministry of the catechists, it is not easy. It’s full of sacrifice and determination. So, if you don’t have that spirit of sacrifice, it will be difficult to administer to the people,” he said.
He said catechists drew their strength from God and looked to Christ as their leader and example.
The annual conference brought together catechists from dioceses across the country to deliberate on issues concerning their ministry and the Catholic faith.
The theme for the conference: “Marriage as a Vocation and Sacrament,” was chosen to draw attention to the importance of preparing couples adequately for marriage and helping them sustain their unions beyond the wedding ceremony.
Reverend Father Christopher Vodzogbe, National Director of Catechists, said marriage in the Catholic Church was both a divine institution and a vocation through which couples were called to live lives of holiness and service.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, Fr Vodzogbe said marriage was intended to provide companionship and, where possible, participation in God’s creative work through raising children.
He explained that vocation in the Catholic Church was fundamentally a call from God to love, serve and grow in holiness, adding that marriage was one of the particular ways through which Christians responded to that universal call.
“Marriage is a vocation to form a lifelong union with a spouse, helping each other grow in holiness,” he said.
Fr Vodzogbe said the Church also recognised priesthood, religious life and the single life as other forms of vocation, each requiring commitment to service and holiness.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Email: [email protected]