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Hundreds of Catholic faithfuls from the Catholic Diocese of Damongo in the Savannah region have on Sunday, December 2021, participated in a special thanksgiving mass at the St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish at Canteen in the West Gonja Municipality to express their gratitude to Rev. Fr. Clement M. Aapengnuo and his two other colleagues.
Rev. Fr. Clement Aapengnuo now resides at the Damongo Diocesan Secretariat service community, Rev, Fr. Charles Dibin is currently based at Good Shepherd parish in Tuna in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba district, Rev Fr. Stephen Bing is currently based at St. Anne’s Cathedral parish.
Rev. Fr. Clement Aapengnuo became the third parish priest since the Rectorate was elevated to the statues of a parish in 2015. The Rectorate was elevated to the status of a parish during the celebration of her 10th anniversary in 2015 by Most Rev. Peter Paul Angkyier, Bishop of Damongo Diocese.
It was carved out from the St. Anne’s Cathedral as a Rectorate in 2005.
In a mass presided over by Rev Fr. Andrews Kuuba, he called on Catholic faithfuls to love one another and be charitable to others because families should leave the life of love, charity and a bond of togetherness. Rev. Fr. Andrews added that, there are three key things families should emulate in their various homes “families should leave in a virtue of love, charity and a bond of togetherness”.
He emphasize that if these are practiced in our homes it will help reduce the challenges and problems we encounter in our families and that, leaving a charitable life in our families should not be over looked because when we are charitable to one another peace will dwell in our homes and we will be able to emulate the life of Jesus, Joseph and Mary. He said charity is not all about sharing with others what you have, but rather the way you communicate and do things can show how charitable you are to others in the family and therefore encouraged the faithfuls to learn how to forgive one another in the family and also inculcate the word sorry in their everyday lives which can propagate togetherness in the Christian faith.
In an interview with padfm.com.gh on the sidelines of the program, Rev. Fr. Clement explained that he is very interested in the development of the youth and women because the youth are very talented and are the future leaders of the church and also the nation and need to be supported and empowered.
He further explained that considering how his mother suffered in raising him and what other women go through, every family would be okay if women are empowered.
When asked to elaborate on his accomplishment, Rev. Fr. Clement declined by saying, he believes that no one can ever complete God’s job and believes that it is about establishing an environment that allows people to feel God’s mercy and goodness, as well as assisting individuals in discovering themselves and getting closer to God.
Mr. Peter Baapele, the Laity Council chairman, congratulated and expressed gratitude to Rev. Fr. Clement and the two priests on behalf of the parishioners of St. Theresa’s parish for their excellent services to God and prayed for God’s blessings on them in all of their undertakings, particularly in their efforts to serve mother Church and mother Ghana. He welcomed the new parish priest, V. Rev. Fr. Martin Muosayir, Fr. Andrews Kuuba and Rev. Tawiah Akomanyi Peter to the parish and appreciate their solid, dedicated, and consistent service to the Church and to the canteen community at large.
Presentations were made by the Parish Laity Council, the Youth, the St. Theresa Society, individuals and associations with many hailing Rev. Fr. Clement for his dedicated service to the parish and to the entire canteen community in their spiritual, pastoral, health and educational needs.
Rev. Fr. Clement Aapengnuo, the Executive Director of the Center for Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies (CECOTAPS), has impacted the lives of many in the parish especially women and the youth by supporting and empowering them in diverse ways. Rev Fr. Clement Aapengnu on behalf of his colleagues, expressed appreciation to the parishioners for all the support given them during their stay with the church and also for the gift and good things uttered about them.
Brighten the corner you are and do not wait for large things, do the little you think you can do to help others, he said.
He urged parishioners to support the parish priest, V. Rev. Fr. Martin Muosayir as he takes over the mantle of affairs of the church in the propagation of the word and the development of the church.
Source:padfm.com.gh / Edwin Gogu
