Catholic Church remembers patron saint
A special church service and love feast climaxed the activities marking the fourth “St John of God Day” celebrated by the Catholic Church at Duayaw Nkwanta, the capital of the Tano-North District in the Brong Ahafo Region.
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According to the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Augustine Owusu, one Opanin Kwaku Duah and seven others, having learnt about the exploits of St. John in the 16th Century, were motivated to establish the Catholic Church at Duayaw Nkwanta in 1929. They, therefore, named the church after St John.
Rev. Fr Owusu said St. John, a Portuguese war veteran, was born on March 8, 1495 and died on March 8, 1550.
He devoted the later part of his life to caring for the sick and providing for the needy as a way of showing true love to mankind. St. John prayed for the sick, fed and clothed the needy in his society and his passion for the sick and needy earned him the name “St. John of God”.
The parish priest said the current generation of the church leadership resolved to devote the first and second weeks in March every year to the celebration of the life and achievements of St. John of God, and through the celebration, revive the spirit of genuine Christian or Godly values in the congregation and the people in the area and beyond. The first celebration took place in 2011 and this year’s is the fourth.
Preaching the ceremonial sermon, Rev. Fr Augustine Owusu reminded Ghanaians that their lives and good health were treasured by the society, so they must practise virtue for the benefit of society, and glorify God, the Creator and Provider.
Rev. Fr. Owusu also hinted that wealth, power and fame were man’s three greatest woes - they could make or unmake humanity.
He urged Ghanaians to use the three positively as St. John of God did, so that their lives would shine for everyone to see the glory of God, wherever they found themselves.
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“Acquiring wealth, power and fame in itself is not bad, but how we use them matters most. Let us therefore, use our wealth, power and fame to improve and transform the society - this is Godly,” he said.