The Tamale Ecclesiastical Province Pastoral Conference, in collaboration with the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, has climaxed the Centenary celebrations of the birth of Peter Cardinal Porekuu Dery, thanking God for the gift of life and His influence on the church.

Peter Cardinal Porekuu Dery, 1918 – 2008, was born at Zimuopare, a village in the Nandon Traditional Area, in the Upper West Region, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1951 becoming the first Catholic Priest from the Region.

He rose through the ranks in the Catholic Church and became the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale when the Tamale Diocese was elevated to the rank of an Archdiocese on May 30, 1977, a position he held until retiring in March, 1994.

Pope Benedict XVI in March, 2006, created Archbishop Peter Porekuu Dery a Cardinal, and in 2008, he died at the age of 90 years and was given a state burial in Tamale.

Peter Cardinal Porekuu Dery contributed immensely to the development of the Church and society, loved all and worked at denouncing customary practices that tended to discriminate against the dignity of women and their worth as persons.

Most Reverend Philip Naameh, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, who delivered a message during a pontifical mass held at the Jubilee Park in Tamale on Saturday to climax the celebrations, urged religious men and women to renew their lives imitating what Peter Cardinal Dery stood for to promote development.

Most Reverend Naameh spoke about Peter Cardinal Dery’s efforts to transform the Dagao culture in the Upper West Region in relation to dowry for marriage, such that it (dowry) did not enslave wives to their husbands saying “Our faith should transform our cultures”.

He exalted the lay faithful to use their faith to transform the cultural and the temporary order to evangelise to liberate women such that dowry would not enslave wives to their husbands.

Mr Salifu Saeed, the Northern Regional Minister, who represented President Nana Akufo-Addo, extolled the virtues of Peter Cardinal Porekuu Dery saying he left a legacy of peace and development and called on all to commit to his legacies to enhance national growth.

A representative of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference described Peter Cardinal Dery as a unifier and peace-maker, who contributed to the growth of the Church and empowerment of women.

A representative of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission assured of working together with the Church for the common good of all.