Report By Bernard K DADZIE
Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic church Awoshie-Anyaa officially rejoiced in welcoming the newly elected Provincial Custos Of the Conventual Franciscan Friars in Ghana, Friar Vitus Edem Yao Mensah to the parish.
On 9th August 2022 at an ordinary custodial chapter, Friar Vitus Edem Yao Mensah was elected as Provincial Custos of the Conventual Franciscan friars in Ghana , being the third Ghanaian Provincial Custos with Friar Emmanuel Kofi Ocran as his vicar.
Very Reverend Fr. Vitus Edem Yao Mensah who was a former parish priest of Christ the King Catholic Church Effiakuma and Local Manager of St. Francis Of Assisi Catholic School, Takoradi replaced Friar Eugene Antwi Boasiako who served the post for two consecutive terms from 2019 to 2022.
The Conventual Franciscan Friars are located today in four dioceses in Ghana. Namely Takoradi, Sunyani, Cape Coast and Accra. The Friars pastoral activities include Parish work, Printing Press and publication, care for the poor and marginalized, formation and teaching; retreats, spiritual direction and counseling.
Friar Vitus Edem Yao Mensah, the newly elected Provincial Custos in Ghana was the main celebrant, he asked the parishioners to be servants of God at all times. He continued that God is a forgiven God so when we realize our sins and come back to him for forgiveness, He forgives us our sins.
Quoted from Luke 15: 11, he says there was once a man who had two sons. The younger one said to him, 'Father, give me my share of the property now.' So the man divided his property between his two sons. After a few days the younger son sold his part of the property and left home with the money.
He said he went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living. He spent everything he had. Then a severe famine spread over that country, and he was left without a thing. So he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent himout to his farm to take care of his pigs.
He wished he could fill himself withthe bean pods the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything to eat.
At last he came to his senses and said, 'All my father's hired workers have more than they can eat, and here I am about to starve! I will get up and go to my father and say, Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired workers.' So he got up and started back to his father.
According to Friar Vitus Edem Yao Mensah, He was still a long way from home when his father saw him; his heart was filled with pity, and he ran, threw his arms round his son, and kissed him. ‘Father,'the son said, 'I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son.' But the father called his servants. 'Hurry!' he said. 'Bring him in.
His father said "put on the best robe on him, ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. Then let us celebrate with a feast! For this son of mine was dead but he is alive, he was lost but has been found. And so the feasting began."
According to Rev. Father Edem Mensah, at times, we get lost, and when God search of us, we ask, God why are you looking for us?
"God says, we should have sorrows for our sins just as the second child did. He repented and came back to his father. God is looking for us, so we must not run away from him. Are we willing and ready to say yes my Lord?
Today, God is willing to look for us, so let us also make ourselves available. We do so many things as a result of our love for God."
"We are all church goers but many of us are not really christians or believers. Most of us are lost. He said, "how many of us, if have 10,000 Ghana cedis and loses 1Ghana cedi, will leave the rest of the money and waist his time in search of the 1Ghana cedi?
And when the 1cedi is found, will spend almost 20,000 Ghana cedis in jubilation?
The mercies of the lord which supercedes our sinfulness is still at work," he noted.
To welcome newly elected Provincial Custos of the Conventual Franciscan friars in Ghana, the Chairman of St. Francis Of Assisi Parish Pastoral Council PPC, Mr. John Appah, expressed his profound gratitude to Friar Vitus Edem Yao Mensah for his position and asked God's blessings upon him. "There are no words to express how fully our joys and appreciations are. Our church is growing by the years through Christ our Lord."
He emphasized that the church is overwhelmed for receiving him in their mist and they will support him in their possible ways to be able to discharge his duty. " It is our prayer that the Lord will empty us of ourselves in order that we may be filled with his grace."
"We welcome you to St. Francis Of Assisi Catholic church Awoshie-Anyaa , Accra. We asked for strength and the grace for you to be able to do the work that has been entrusted in your hands. We are grateful for every single moment we live as a church," PPC Chairman.