Catholic Church launches 140th anniversary - COVID-19 Emergency Fund for vulnerable

The Catholic Church has launched activities to mark its year-long celebration of the church’s 140 years in the country.

The occasion was also used to launch a COVID-19 Emergency Fund to support the vulnerable in the church and mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on them.

At the launch of the activities, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, Most Rev. Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, said the Catholic Church had over the 140 years contributed significantly to the development of education, health and social development and, therefore, it was worth celebrating.

He said the Catholic Church in Ghana currently had four archdioceses, 15 dioceses, and one apostolic vicariate with the current population of Catholics hitting about four million with over 1,500 priests, and about 1,000 religious clergy and consecrated persons.

On health, he said the church had 121 hospitals and health centres dotted across the country providing quality healthcare for many.

The church, he said, also had more than 3,000 schools and institutions.

Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle said the celebration would include preparation for the second synod of the archdiocese of Cape Coast in June 2021.

He said the church had planned elaborate celebrations but they had been hindered by the COVID -19 pandemic.

Competition

Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle said the archdiocese had instituted a competition on a logo, slogan, as well as synod prayer and an anthem or song from May 18, to December 31, 2020 as part of the celebrations.

He urged all of the Catholic faith to pray for mercy as the world goes through the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Fund

The COVID-19 Emergency Fund will be managed by the church’s charitable wing, Caritas, to promote the well-being of the vulnerable in accordance with God’s love for all the world and give out food items in support of the vulnerable in the various parishes.

The Director of Caritas, Cape Coast, Rev. Fr Stephen Amoah Gyasi, said the incidence of vulnerability among the parishes had been heightened by the coronavirus pandemic and required urgent steps to support parishioners.

“The problem is bigger than what we can handle but we believe our bit would help ease the effects of the pandemic on our most vulnerable,” he stated.

The occasion was used to present over 50 parishes in six deaneries with food items for distribution to parishioners.

The items presented included 130 bags of 25 kg rice, 40 cartons of canned fish, 60 cartons of oil and 30 cartons of canned tomatoes.

The donation was made through Caritas, the charitable wing of the church with support from the Rotary Club in Essex, Ontario, Canada.
Rev. Fr Gyasi said Caritas had assessed the needs of all Catholic health facilities and also supported personnel with PPE.

The situation

The Reverend Father in charge of the Saltpond Deanery, Rev. Fr John Mensah, who received items on behalf of his deanery, said many, especially the aged, had been hard hit by the effects of the pandemic.

“A lot of those the aged depend on have lost their jobs. It is a worrying situation and we know these items would help ease their predicament,” he stated.

He said he was optimistic that the items would go a long way to sustain them in the pandemic.
Most Rev. Buckle said the archdiocese was committed to supporting its vulnerable to ease the effects of the pandemic.

Ankaful presentation

In another development Caritas has presented food items and clothing to the Ankaful Maximum Security Prisons with a call on all to provide support to help make the prisons more reformative.

Rev Fr Gyasi who made the presentation said prisoners were a part of society and it was important that the Prisons Service was supported with essentials that would enable them reform inmates.

Vulnerability

He explained that the donation by Caritas was in acknowledgement of the vulnerability of the Prisons Service and their need for support.

Most Rev Buckle said love must reach all, especially the vulnerable in society saying the prison inmates and the prison warders were part of society and should not be neglected.

The Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service, Deputy Director of Prisons, Mr Dominic Nicholas Arthur, said the Prisons Service was one of the vulnerable institutions and called for support from all well-meaning institutions and individuals.