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More Gains for the Church in Ghana as Archdiocese Plans Public Pilgrimage

A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Our lady of Fatima Grotto at Amakye-Bare in the Kumasi Archdiocese.

With relaxed restrictions on public worship in Ghana and a further extension of the duration of worship in the West African country, Church activities in the country seem to be getting back to normal with the latest announcement of a pilgrimage that will take place in the Archdiocese of Kumasi mid next month.

In a message seen by the ACI Correspondent in Ghana, Archbishop Gabriel Justice Anokye of Ghana’s Kumasi Archdiocese announced that the annual celebration of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Barekurna Grotto will be on Saturday, August 15, mid-morning.

The people of God in the Archdiocese Kumasi mark the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary annually at a designated Grotto in the Archdiocese. Last year, the Archdiocesan celebration took place at Our Lady of Fatima Grotto at Amakye-Bare.

“Come and Let's thank and praise God with Mother,” the shepherd of the People of God in the Archdiocese said in the message dated July 27, but made available to the public on July 29

Archbishop Anokye said the Grotto Service would last for two- hours as allotted for public worship in the West African country.

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Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo on Sunday, July 26 announced that from August 1, the restrictions on the number of congregants worshipping at a time in Church will be lifted, with the length of worship extended from one to two hours per service.

According to President Akufo-Addo, the decision for the extension was due to the strict adherence to the safety protocol to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

“I extend my deepest appreciation to our religious leaders for their strict adherence to the safety protocols, which have prevented any known outbreaks, since they restarted their services,” President Akufo-Addo said.

In his message headlined, “New updates on celebrations in the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi,” Archbishop Anokye expressed excitement at the extended duration of public worship and said that everyone was welcome to attend Mass.

“From next Sunday, August 2, all Catholic faithful of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi are to participate in our Eucharistic and other celebrations in your full numbers: Families, Young and Old, for 2 hours,” the Ghanaian Archbishop said.

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He urged the Clergy and Laity under his care to follow all the earlier COVID-19 safety protocols and restrictions while “Churches and Places of Worship must respect the social distancing protocol by erecting canopies outside, if needed, to admit the needed number.”

“All Sacraments are to be administered within the existing (health) protocols, especially when visiting the sick and home-bound with the Communion or for Anointing and Confession,” noted Archbishop Anokye who doubles as the President of Caritas Africa.

He also announced that Priestly Ordination is still postponed to “a future date.”

The Archbishop has also called for prayers for the country’s health workers who continue to work on the frontline of the COVID-19 fight.

“With our fellow Ghanaians, we pray for all health workers, patients infected with COVID-19, the dead, the bereaved families, governments and health authorities worldwide,” the 60-year-old Archbishop said.

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