Twelve to be recognised as saints

Accra, Sept. 16, GNA - Twelve Catholic Missionaries are to be canonized as saints by Pope John Paul II on October 5 at a ceremony in Rome. Three out of the 12, who worked mainly in Africa, are Blessed Arnold Janssen and Blessed Josef Freinademetz both of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and Blessed Daniel Comboni, Founder of Comboni Missionaries. "Canonization is a process reserved since the 13th century to the Pope, in which a deceased person is officially sanctioned and approved in the Roman Catholic Church as a saint and is treated as illustrious, prominent or sacred."

The Reverend Pius Agyemang, Director of SVD Pastoral Liturgy and Sacred Music Ministry, announced this at a press conference in Accra. He said the two missionary groups, who had their congregation in Ghana, would launch an event to celebrate the canonization on September 27 to link up with the Rome celebration.

Rev. Agyemang praised the three missionaries for their immense contribution in spreading the word of God and their humanitarian service to mankind.

He mentioned Daniel Comboni, who he said stood for the salvation of Africans, and launched a project in 1864 designed to "save Africa through Africans".

In Ghana these congregations are engaged in education, health and other ministries.