Knights and Ladies of Marshall launch centenary celebrations in Accra
The Noble Order of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall has relaunched activities for its 100th anniversary, marking the start of a year-long centenary celebration at a ceremony in Accra last Saturday.
The centenary celebration, spanning 1926 to 2026, commemorates the founding of the Catholic fraternal Order, inspired by Sir James Marshall, the Scottish lay judge credited with revitalising the Catholic faith in the then-Gold Coast.
As part of preparations, the Greater Accra Regional Councils and Courts of the Noble Order of Knights and Ladies of Marshall donated GH¢250,000 to support the legacy project for the centenary anniversary.
Year-long activities
A series of activities has been scheduled throughout the year to honour the Order’s legacy of unity, charity and fraternity.
Activities include the launch of a national quiz competition in April, fund-raising and Regional conferences ahead of Centenary Honours in September.
In a welcome address, the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Marshall, Sir Kt Bro Constantine Kudzedzi, said for nearly a century, the Noble Order had been a beacon of Catholic fraternity, a pillar of charity, and a force for unity and service within the Church, the Communities and the Country and other nations.
He expressed the hope that the relaunch would inspire Marshallans to enter the centenary with vigour, dedication, greater heights of spiritual growth, charitable works, and fraternal and communal harmony.
“As we look forward to the grand centenary celebration by this Relaunch, let us honour the sacrifices of our founders and pledge to carry their vision into the centenary and the next century with courage and conviction,” he stated.
Commendation
A development practitioner and a Member of the Noble Order of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall, Dr Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko, commended the Knights and Ladies of Marshall for becoming a beacon of hope and strength for the church, supporting education, health and human welfare through prayer, sacrifice and service.
She urged members to view the centenary not only as a celebration of achievement but also as an invitation to define the Order’s mission for the next century.
Dr Tsiboe-Darko expressed concern about the impact of technology, social media and artificial intelligence on human relationships and spirituality.
She described the digital environment as an uncontrolled digital continent that posed new threats to faith, communal life and moral responsibility.
In proposing a path forward, she urged the Order to strengthen its digital presence by creating secure Marshallan digital hubs, livestreaming meetings for the elderly and home-bound and developing online faith communities such as virtual Rosary groups.
She also proposed establishing a Marshallan Media Guild to create compelling digital content and a virtual museum to preserve the Order’s history.
Additionally, she called for the Order to lead advocacy on the ethical use of artificial intelligence and to prioritise data privacy and human dignity in its own digital operations.
