"Unless You are Planted, You Cannot Bear Much Fruit"
On Wednesday, 25th January, 2023, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Koforidua, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifa-Agyekum ordained 9 men to the ministry of Diaconate at St. Peter Catholic Church, Somanya. They are as follows: Revs. Dickson Nukunu Abotsi, Simon Asimeng, Benjamin Danso, Richard Sam-Adjekum, Stephen Foli, Melchizedek B. Agyeman, Richard Edem Mawusi, Charles K. Duah Jnr., and Silas K. Modzi.
The Bishop in his homily thanked the Parish Priest of Somanya, VRev. Fr. Bright Agyapong and the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) for accepting to host such an august ceremony. The Bishop in reference to the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle stated that he was a great preacher of the faith and that Christians all over the world are encouraged to celebrate and pray for unity. The Bishop asserted from the first reading, 1 Tim. 3:8-13 that St. Paul through the text was addressing all levels of the human person through the grace and mercy of God. The Bishop in his reflection on the Gospel reading from John 12:24-26 reiterated that unless the deacons understand that like wheats, they must be planted in the soil, which will die, then they cannot bear trees with big branches and fruits which will serve as food and shelter for all people—resonating evangelization.
The Bishop agreed that they are being ordained at a challenging time, where morality is on the decline, where sin as well as corruption cannot be defined as such. He encouraged them to speak against the ills of society i.e. galamsey (illegal mining) which are causing destruction to the environment. The Church must also recognize the position in which they are being elevated to. They will assist the bishop in the Liturgy—thus service to the altar and charity with the duty to teach believers and non believers in the doctrines of Christ and the Church, preside over funeral and marriage liturgies, etc.—he said. He concluded by encouraging them to build good reputations by their lives of chastity beyond reproach. He thanked the families for offering their sons; reminding them that the task is not finished and will never be finished, since not even the priesthood is the goal, but an opportunity to serve and so one day meet as one great family in the life hereafter. He finally implored the help of St. Paul the Apostle to pray for the deacons so that they can serve faithfully as he did.
