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Archbishop Naameh ordains 17 Deacons in Tamale

Most Rev. Philip Naameh, Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, will today November 23 ordain five SVD candidates  as well as 12 Diocesans for service into the ministry of Diaconate at St. Victor’s Major Seminary. The deacons are drawn from five Dioceses within the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province with one from Konongo- Mampong Diocese.

The Deacons are Magbenya Joseph, Azulirah Emmanuel, Edwin Wilson, Aabe-ikuu Vitalis, Bakari Clement, Tonye Paschal, Monkonsoh Charles, Aaku MacLean, Minnow Kelvin, Dassah Stephen, Vincent Duk, Zogho Vitus, Teye Abraham Mario, SVD, Koh Constancio, SVD, Muchi Antony Michael, SVD Wensan’na Bruno, SVD and Gyasie Marvin, SVD.

After the ordination ceremony today, the Deacons will be vested with the authority to baptize, witness marriages, perform funeral and burial services outside of Mass, distribute Holy Communion as well as preach the homily.

Archbishop Naameh in his homily advised the Deacons to be active servants in the discharge of your duties as deacons if even they become priests and never to be masters. In attendance were about 50 priests from the province and outside, religious brothers and sisters, societies and organisations, parents, relatives, friends and benefactors of the deacons and myriads of lay people.

The five SVDs however, on Friday, November 15 had their perpetual vows in the Carmelite Monastery in Tamale after completing theology four of the Common Formation Centre (CFC) Community in Tamale.

The candidates professed the Perpetual Vows of Evangelical Poverty, Consecrated Chastity and Apostolic Obedience within the context of Eucharistic Celebration.

The profession coincided with the general visitation of Fr. Eryk Jan Koppa, SVD, a General Councillor in Rome though originally from Poland and Fr. Pushpa Anbu Augustine, SVD, Secretary General for Education and Formation and an Indian.

The Provincial Superior of Ghana-Liberia Province, Very Rev. Fr. George Clement Angmor, SVD who was also present at the ceremony welcome the two visitators, all the faithful and especially the parents of the finally professed to the celebration. They were thirty energetic priests from the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province and outside Tamale who concelebrated with the main celebrant.

As the main celebrant, Fr. Koppa received the vows of the finally professed members on behalf of the Superior General in Rome while Fr. Anbu also gave the homily during the Holy Mass. In his homily, he congratulated the fraters for the bold step taken to offer themselves freely for ministry in the Society of the Divine Word.

He added that as  Divine Word Missionaries, they should always try to make a dichotomy between the essential and the non-essential in ministering to the specific needs of the people that the Lord has called them to serve. They should accept their unworthiness before God and remain as authentic ambassadors of the Divine Word.

The five, also took the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The three vows taken should be seen as a single of having love for God and neighbour with all their heart, soul and strength ( Deut. 6:5)

Fr. Koppa on behalf of the Superior General congratulated the perpetually professed members and extended sentiments of gratitude to their parents and benefactors including the formators for supporting them all these years of their formation.

 

Source: Frt. Thomas Asamane, SVD

 

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