Catholic missionaries canonized as saints

Accra, Oct 5, GNA - The Catholic Church in Ghana on Sunday joined Catholics all over the World to clebrate the canonization of three newly declared missionaries as saints after 50 years of their death. The first missionary, Blessed Arnold Jassen, a German, founded the Society of the Divine Word, (SVD), the Servants of Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters (SSPS) and the Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration. He was born in 1837 and died in 1909. The second missionary, Blessed Joseph Freinadementz, first SVD missionary to China and a Chinese was born in 1852 and died in 1908 and the third missionary Blessed Daniel Comboni, an Italian, founded the Comboni Brothers. He was born in 1831 and passed away in 1881.

The Most Reverend George Kocherry, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, who was assisted by four Ghanaian Catholic Bishops to say the mass marked the canonisation by lighting three candles, one for each of the saints. Arch Bishop Gregory Kpiebaya of Tamale Diocese, Arch Bishop Francis Lodonu, of Ho Diocese, Arch Bishop Dominic Andoh of the Accra Metropolitan Diocese and Bishop Vincent Boi-Nai of Yendi Diocese assisted Rev. Kocherry to unveil statues of the saints amidst prayers and singing.

Canonisation in the Catholic Church is an act by which the Pope publicly proclaims the sanctity of a deceased person, whom he would propose for the veneration of the universal church. It is usually the final act of a lengthy bureaucratic process that begins with beatification, which means, an official declaration that a person lived a holy life and could be venerated as one of the blessed.

The process of inquiry does not normally begin until fifty years after the death of the candidate.

Saints in the Catholic Church are chosen as models and patrons of various professions and guilds as well as virtues and good works. They are primarily helpers that could be invoked in prayers. The sanctification of the three great men as saints and more especially Arnold Jassen and Daniel Comboni was of great significance to Africa because the two spent their missionary lives in Ghana and other African countries in improving the lives of many. Rev Kochery, in his proclamation said the entire Catholic Church was rejoicing because of the outstanding spiritual manifestation of the lives of the saints that attracted men and women to follow their footsteps. Most Rev Vincent Boi-Nai, said there were two Ghanaian SVD Bishops, 105 SVD priests in Africa, 66 of who were Ghanaians with 41 working in Ghana and 25 in other African countries. He said apart from ministerial work the SVDs have established schools, provided water, electricity and hospitals and other facilities.

Most Rev Boi-Nai said Comboni missionaries could be found in 44 countries in Africa adding that more than 3,700 people including priests, brothers and sisters formed the Comboni missionaries with the aim of spreading the gospel, promoting education and providing primary health care facilities such as the Sogakope Health Centre, called the Comboni Centre.