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General News of Sunday, 2 November 2003

Source: GNA

Priesthood office is not a profession - says Priest

Accra, Nov. 2, GNA - The office of the priesthood or a pastor is not a profession or career for people to aspire and enrich themselves in wealth or material things, Reverend Father John Boye of St Theresa Catholic Church, Kaneshie has said.

"It is a way of living and one must be called out of love by God before one can faithfully and dutifully shoulder the task of building a city for the Lord.

"Material things shall pass away, what is important is to use your time and energy in the high office of priesthood to pursue the things that are beneficial," he said.

Rev. Fr. Boye was speaking at a thanksgiving mass at the St. Paul Catholic Church, Kpehe, organized to crown the ordination of two parish priests from the Church.

The two, Rev. Fr. Joseph Henry Mensah and Rev. Fr. David Arko Amissah who were accepted into the Catholic faith on Saturday, are the first to be ordained from the St Paul Catholic Church. Rev. Fr. Boye urged them to always rely on the God, who had called them and be vigilant and prayerful more, especially in these days when the Church is facing persecutions of all kinds, particularly against pastors and priests.

"For us Catholics, the celibacy you have now chosen is an interior decoration to Christ therefore, your level of maturity would depend on your seriousness," he said.

Rev Fr. Boye said as young people, a serious challenge they would face in the Church and outside would test their sense of maturity and patience.

He said as priests, they have been made spiritual contractors to help build the city of God and it would take their selfless and sacrificial love to make it a reality.

The Congregation, before the commencement of the service held procession ceremony from the Social Security Bank at New Town to the Church premise amidst singing and dancing in praise to the Lord. The young and the old clad in traditional kente cloths, sang and danced to lead the parish priests into the auditorium for the mass to begin.