Ho,- Most Reverend Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, Bishop of the Ho Diocese, has urged six newly ordained priests of the Diocese to become leaders and guides of the people of God and their communities.

He said the priests were “salt and light” and therefore must guide the people they would pastor, adding that the call to serve God required a serious reflection since it entailed a lot of responsibilities.

Bishop Fianu in a homily at the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Ho during the 2021 Priestly Ordination of the Ho Diocese, noted that actions and behaviours of the new priests must make the religious desire to live and not leave the Church.

The new priests are; Reverend Fathers; David Seyram Addo, St Francis of Assisi Parish, Dzemeni, Prosper Toyi Akumani, Immaculate Conception Parish, Kpando, and Daniel Kwame Tenu Yeboah, Sacred Heart Parish, Fodome.

The rest are; Rudolph Kodjo Tsekpo, Immaculate Conception Parish, Kpando, Yohanes Komla Adjei, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Kpando Agbenoxoe and Eugene Kodzo Adzaklu, C.Ss.R, St Peter’s Parish, Vakpo and Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.

Bishop Fianu admonished them not to be priests who would bring disappointment to God’s people and their task of leading the people was a service in humility.

He asked them to apply energies in teaching in the name of Jesus Christ and the Roman Catholic Church, say things the Church expected its people to know and share the word of God as true nourishment of the faithful.

The Bishop urged them to know that the Church had its own traditions and doctrines and must keep them, read and understand, ask for explanation, teach the right thing and be prepared before their homilies.

Bishop Fianu said the priests must also endeavour to live exemplary lives to the people they led adding that the world today was tired of teachers and rather looking for models to follow.

He called on the priests to learn to identify their weaknesses and pray to God for help to enable them to become good examples.

Bishop Fianu called on the faithful to pray for their priests and particularly for the newly ordained and said they had the responsibility of bringing up and contributing to the identification and ordination of holy priests.

The priests pledged to obey the bishop, his successors and also legitimate superiors.

The event was attended by Bishop Emeritus Anthony Adanuty of Keta/Akatsi Diocese, priests, consecrated men and women, faithful and traditional leaders across the Diocese.

Other dignitaries were Rev. Fr. Christian Ewoenam Klu, C.Ss.R, Superior, Redeemptorist Mission of Ghana and Rev. Fr. Cyprian Kuupol, Provincial Superior, Society of Divine Word (SVD), Ghana/Liberia Province.

Source: Ghana News Agency