St John of God Catholic Church celebrated its Patron’s Day and its 15th anniversary with a service of thanksgiving in Amrahia in the Adentan Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
The culmination of a week-long program of activities, church members turned out in large numbers to express their gratitude to God for how far the church has come.
The Very Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, SVD, priest in charge of cured lepers at Weija Leper Hospital, Accra, and St Jude’s Catholic Church, also in Weija, celebrated Mass and said that true happiness cannot be found only when we made the other happy.
He said that Saint John of God worked as a soldier, nurse, bookseller, servant and patient, who helped the sick in the hospital and later built his own hospital, adding that their patron saint was called Saint John of God because he made people happy, so they should imitate his example.
The Very Reverend Father Campbell said the happiest day of his life was the day he took the cured lepers to the Weija Leprosarium to visit the West Hill Mall and later the Busua Beach Resort.
Reverend Father Bernard Kyei, Priest Responsible for the Rectorate, in an interview prayed for peace in Ukraine.
“As we commemorate our feast day, the Lord wants us to use the life of Saint John of God as a paradigm around which we will live our Christian lives,” he said.
Mr. Edward Adimazoya, Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), pledged that the church would work hard to achieve parish status within three years and donated GH¢2,000.00 in response to the appeal of the father Campbell.
Mr. David Combat, Past President of PPC, who told the story of the church, said a handful of members attended Mass with St John of God Rev. Brothers in their little chapel.
According to him, as the number of faithful increased, it became imperative to start the church in 2007.
Mr. John Feli, the first President (PPC), said that the beginning was not easy, but with the determination and support of the members, they were able to overcome the challenges.
