CATHOLIC CHURCH COMMENDED FOR SUPPORTING THE POOR (DG, SEPT 23, 2011, PAGE 29)

THE Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Yendi, Mr Issah Zakaria has commended the Roman Catholic Church in Yendi for initiating a number of development projects in the Eastern Corridor of the Northern Region. The projects, he noted, had contributed significantly to uplifting the socio-economic and intellectual lives of the people, as well as helping sustain the peace in the area. Mr Zakaria mentioned, for instance, that the Catholic Church had established 45 primary schools, 9 junior high schools and 17 kindergartens in its bid to enhance access to education in rural areas. He said the St Joseph Technical Institute, in Saboba, which was established by the Catholic Church some years back, was also providing the needed training to young people to enable them become independent. The DCE made these remarks during the ordination ceremony for two reverend ministers of the Yendi Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral. They are Rev. Seth Anthony Yeboah and Rev. Michael Liebar Cobb. They were ordained by the Yendi Catholic Bishop, Most Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai. In the area of health, the DCE intimated that the Catholic Church had constructed two clinics at Sambule and Chamba in the Zabzugu/Tatale and Saboba districts. Mr Zakaria also expressed appreciation over the role being played by the Catholic Church in ongoing efforts to restore peace in Yendi. He said the church had set up a peace centre where various interested parties, including members of the two royal families –the Abudu and Andani – met occasionally to dialogue on issues of mutual concern. Bishop Boi-Nai, on his part, implored the newly-ordained reverends to let their lives reflect one of simplicity, prayerfulness, justice and charity towards the poor and disadvantaged in society. He expressed regret over recent ungodly acts of some supposed men of God that had helped to denigrate the church and stressed that it was about time that leaders of churches cleansed the church of these untoward characters. The bishop also advocated a healthy relationship among all priests, to enable them rely on each other for the development of their spiritual and intellectual lives.