Accra-Ghana, April 19, GNA – The Most Reverend Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi has admonished newly ordained Auxiliary Bishops of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra to uphold the tenet of truth.
“You need to defend the truth at all times, to the point of shedding blood. Stand by the truth without fear or favour,” he said.
The Archbishop of Kumasi gave the advice on Wednesday at the Episcopal ordination of Most Reverend Anthony Narh Asare and Most Reverend John Kobina Louis, Auxiliary Bishops of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra.
Archbishop Anokye said the bishops were filled with the Holy Spirit to shepherd the Catholic faithful in their pastoral ministry.
He urged the Catholic community to pray for them to discharge their pastoral duties effectively and efficiently.
“Let us continue to pray for them to stand firm in the face of numerous challenges in their pastoral responsibilities,” he said.
Archbishop Anokye advised the bishops to execute their duties dispassionately without “lording their responsibilities over the people and seeking shameful profit.”
As Auxiliary Bishops, he said they were to assist the Diocesan Bishop in pastoral duties in the Accra Archdiocese, ask for more jobs, and take instructions from him and not do otherwise.
He charged them to demonstrate an “impeccable, irreproachable, immaculate, sinless, and exemplary” shepherd role of the Diocesan Bishop.
Archbishop Anokye also urged the new bishops “to have their ears and eyes on the ground and avoid things that would derail their pastoral ministries.”
He encouraged them to seek both internal and external help when the need arose to succeed in their new establishments.
Most Reverend Henryk M. Jagodzinski the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana said the bishops were chosen as true witnesses to Christ the good shepherd.
“Being a Bishop means to serve, and with this service, you will safeguard your vocation and be authentic shepherds in serving, not in honour, not in authority, not in power. Not in serving, always in serving,” he said.
Most Reverend Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, welcomed the new Bishops, saying,” It is our fervent prayer and hope that you will bring your various expertise and experiences to bear on the work of the Conference.”
Most Reverend John Bonaventure Kwofie, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, thanked the newly ordained Bishops for being excellent priests in the Accra Archdiocese
He said the Most Reverend Asare would take charge of the Accra West Deanery of the Catholic Church, while the Most Reverend Louis handled that of the Accra East Deanery.
The new bishops pledged their unflinching support and assurance to the Most Reverend Kwofie to help him discharge his duties.
They thanked all who, in diverse ways, contributed to the programme and prayed for success in their new ministries.
