The Very Reverend Alfred Agyenta, Bishop of the Navrongo Bolgatanga Diocese, Upper East Region, has expressed gratitude to the lay faithful and the religious for their prayers and support to ensure the growth of the parishes. The Bishop celebrated Chrism Mass with the priests of the diocese to consecrate the sacred Chrism and bless the oils for use for the sick and spiritual needs of Catholics at the Sacred Heart Parish in Bolgatanga. He gave a special tribute to prayer leaders and catechists who voluntarily kept the various communities in the absence of priests and prayed for God's blessings on them to continue to find joy in the ministry. The Chrism Mass is celebrated in the course of the Holy week to bless oils of catechumens, oil of the sick for the healing ministry and oil of Chrism administered by the priests. It reminds the congregation of its unity in Christ through baptism. Very Rev. Agyenta said: 'For the religious men and women who work to promote the gospel of Christ in the areas of education , health and social work and even silently being in their places, you show a particular dimension of the church…' He commended the priests for their dedication to serving God and mankind and urged them to express solidarity and fraternity to one another and as men who had offered themselves for service to the church. On behalf of the priests, Bishop Agyenta asked for forgiveness, especially in times when the priests had failed to be true shepherds and authentic witnesses of the gospel. 'As pastures our hearts are open, and for any reason that the congregation has offended us, like parents, we have also forgiven you and hope to continue to work together,' he added. 'The lay people will want to see us as brothers and truly a brotherhood which will give them the inspiration.' He urged them to take up the challenge to be happy in the communities in which they worked. Source: Ghana News Agency
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