Christian values, weapon for tackling nation’s challenges - Catholic Bishop

The Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese, Reverend Alfred Agyenta, has stated that Christian values when strictly observed, could be a weapon for tackling the challenges facing the country.

 This was contained in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by Reverend Father Vitus A. Adiita, at the 2019 Diocesan Congress of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal group of the Navrongo–Bolgatanga Diocese, held on the campus of the Bolgatanga Senior High School at Winkongo in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.

The four-day  programme under the theme: ‘Equipping the Saints for Ministry and Building Up His Body , the Church’, attracted about 800 members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal  members  including students and pupils  from  senior and junior high schools.

Bishop Agyenta, who explained to the congregation that Christianity was an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith, stressed that for Christians to engage in effective ministry, they needed to know Christ’s mission in the world.

“Anyone who does not know Christ mission cannot effectively carry out ministry,” the Bishop emphasised.

Quoting extensively from the scriptures, the Bishop who took time to school the congregation about Christ’s mission, said that the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

He added that imbibing Christian values in Ghanaians particularly the youth, could help address some of the nation’s challenges by curbing issues of corruption and selfishness, and instilling the spirit of nationalism in Ghanaians.

The event, which was also characterised by song ministration, praises and worships, Eucharistic celebration among others,  was also used to educate marriage couples and those who intend marrying  on relationship and family life.

The Coordinator of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Brother David Azupogo, explained that apart from the main objective of   the bi-annual  congress  being used  to  build the faith of Christians and to  renew them spiritually to help propagate the gospel of Christ,  it was also used to sensitise the youth to be disciplined.

Reverend Father James Achaa Aganiba, the Chaplain of the Bolgatanga Senior High School and Parish Priest of Tongo Parish, stated that the spate of students’ unrest in many schools could be curbed by imbibing in them Christian values.

He stated that the Catholic Church was working towards addressing crises in marriages and had initiated a number of forums including the bi-annual Catholic Charismatic Renewal Congress to help achieve the results.

FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, WINKONGO