President Calls for Responsive Church

THE President, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, has observed that both the Church and the state owe it a duty to tailor programmes and policies that will go a long way to enhance the betterment of humanity.

To this end, he stressed for the need to work together in concert to achieve the spiritual, physical and material, practical needs of the citizenry, who should become transformed to take up certain responsibilities in the church and the state.

The President who made the observation at the Episcopal Consecration and Installation of Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi as the second Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sunayni, said the Church and the state, should be reminded that they have to be responsive and accountable to the needs of the people.

For the nation to attain a glorious future through the mercy of God, the President appealed to religious leaders to continue to pray for Ghana, and also urged them to be mindful of fake ministers of God who are poised to destroy the plight of humanity so that they become rich through dubious means.

President Kufuor who was full of praises the Catholic Church for the tremendous contributions to the state, donated ?10m to the new bishop.

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, Most Rev. Peter Kwasi Sarpong, who presided over the ceremony, called on the new bishop to devote himself to his apostolic office as a witness of Christ to all men and women, and also care for those who have strayed in any way from the path of truth, as well as those who have no knowledge of the gospel of Christ.

He said in the exercise of his teaching role as a prophet, he should proclaim the gospel of Christ to all people as one of his principal duties. Also, he is expected to preach the dignity and liberty of the human person and defend it fearlessly.

Archbishop Sarpong called on Bishop Gyamfi to find ways and means of dialoging with people of all walks of life, ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations and political inclinations.

He added that in this grave task, he should utilize the various methods available nowadays, especially the powerful media of public communication that the world has developed in this age of information technology.

Archbishop Sarpong called on the newly installed Bishop to exercise his office of father and pastor as a good shepherd who knows his sheep and whose sheep know him, as a true father who excels in his love and solicitude for all, without in any way compromising on the principles of Christ and his gospel, and keep himself informed of the needs of the faithful, so as to become the source of their consolation.

Born on August 11, 1957, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, who hails from Wamanfo in the Brong Ahafo Region, was ordained a Catholic Priest on July 27, 1985 by the late bishop, Most Rev. James Kwadwo owusu.

Bishop Gyamfi has served in various Parishes in the Diocese and was the chaplain and teacher at the St. Joseph?s Teacher Training College, Bechem.

He holds a PHD in Geography and a Maters Degree in Education from Canada.

On his return from Canada in 1999, he was appointed Rector of the St. James Seminary and Secondary School. In addition to his office of Rector, he was appointed as Chancellor of the Diocese in 2001. He succeeds the late bishop Owusu who died in motor accident on December 28, 2001.

The consecration and installation which took place at the Sunyani Coronation Park, attracted tens of thousands of people from within and outside Ghana. Prominent among them was the President, Mr. J.A. Kufour, the Apostolic Nuncio of Ghana, Most Rev. George Kocherry, who performed the installation; Most Rev. Bruno Kwame from Abengro in La Cote d? Ivoire and heads of all religious bodies.