Most Rev. Peter Kwaku Atuahene, Catholic Bishop of Goaso has ordained one priest for the Diocese at the St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Goaso. The newly ordained priest, Rev. Fr. Francis Ayana, is a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral parish, Goaso. Rev. Fr. Ayana hails from Bongo in the Upper East Region of Ghana, yet he was born and bred at Goaso. He had his Primary, Junior and Senior High education, all at Goaso, and then proceeded to St. James Minor Seminary for his Post SHS studies at Abesim in Sunyani. He further pursued his Philosophical and Theological studies at St. Paul’s Catholic Seminary, Sowutuom, Accra and St. Peter’s Regional Seminary, Pedu, Cape Coast, respectively. He graduated with a BA in Sociology and the Study of Religions from the University of Ghana, Legon in 2013. Father Ayana was ordained a deacon on the 19th of December, 2015 and priest on 9th July 2016 and celebrated his First Thanksgiving Mass in the Cathedral.
The Ordination Mass was concelebrated by scores of priests from the Diocese of Goaso and beyond. Among the concelebrants included; Very Rev. Fr. James Owusu- Yeboah, SMA, (SMA Regional Superior – Accra) Rev. Msgr. Matthew Addai, the Vicar General and Principal of St Joseph College of Education, Bechem, Rev. Fr. Elisha Manu, Ag. Cathedral Administrator, Rev. Msgr. Benjamin Poku Donkor, Rev. Fr. Captain Rudolf Sara Twumasi Ankra, (Military Chaplain, 2BN, Apremdo – Takoradi) Rev. Fr. Augustine Nsiah Asante (USA).
Among the dignitaries present at the Occasion were Nana Akwasi Bosomprah, (Omanhene of Goaso Traditional Council), Nana Yaa Akyaa (Queen mother, Goaso), Hon. Alhaji Kwaku Doku, (Goaso Municipal Chief Executive) and all the Sub-Chiefs of the Northern tribes in Goaso, the Chief Imam and the Local Council of Churches.
In his homily, Bishop Atuahene made it known that the priests’ population in the Goaso diocese has increased from eighteen (18) in 1998 to sixty two (62) with the ordination of Rev. Fr. Ayana. The Bishop commended him for saying YES to God’s call and entreated young men and women to emulate his humility and simplicity of life.
Bishop Atuahene advised the new priest to shun anything that is inimical to the priestly vocation that could bring the name of God into disrepute, urging him to strive to be good shepherd following the example of Jesus who fed and laid down his life for his flocks. In addition the Bishop urged Fr. Ayana to always remember and smell the odour of the consecrated oil (priesthood), the odour of the sheep (the church) and the odour of God through prayers and personal relationship with Him.
The MCE, Hon. Alhaji Kwaku Doku, congratulated Rev. Fr. Ayana and advocated for peace before, during and after the 2016 elections. He asked the new priest to pray unceasingly for the nation.
Nana Akwasi Bosomprah, the Omanhene of Goaso Traditional Council in his congratulatory message encouraged the new priest to be patient in serving the people of God. He prayed for the new priest to be imbued with and guided by the Holy Spirit to enable him redeem all those who have been locked up in the rooms of some “spiritual men”. He was of the view that if all stakeholders in 2016 general elections especially the electorate performed their responsibilities well there would be no course for alarm in the up-coming elections.
Submitted by Rev. Fr. Isaac Boansi (DEPSOCOM Director – Goaso)