Centenary Celebration of the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province of the Catholic Church and the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers)

24^th of May 2006 Was the day many visitors were arriving from all over Ghana and beyond. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament took place from about 7.30pm in Navrongo Cathedral Parish.

The first thing that struck me on arriving in Navrongo was the work the people had put into preparing for this Centenary celebration, buildings had been repaired and painted, ground well marked out. A great deal of time energy skills and organizing had been put into place to make things as ready as possible for this special historic moment of the Centenary Celebration of the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province. All the people who were involved in the preparations, endless meetings, the many activities under-taken, and the wonderful manner things went so well. Though it was not possible to have the building of new Cathedral completely ready on time it was well used for the occasion. All of you have to be thanked, well done for making the whole experience so meaningful in everyway for countless people.

25^th of May 2006 Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Most Rev. Gregory E. Kpiebaya Archbishop of Tamale was the main Celebrant in the new Cathedral. Most Rev. Lucas Abadamloora Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese gave the Formal Welcome Address. His Eminence Peter Cardinal Porekuu Dery was there with some other bishops present such as the Most Rev. Thomas K. Mensah Bishop of Obuasi Diocese, Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu of Konongo-Mampong Diocese, and Most Rev. Peter K. Atuahene of Goaso Diocese, as well as two Bishops from Burkina Faso.

It is very difficult to describe in words the Solemnity of this occasion as everything that took place was special, like new history being made on the spot. Archbishop Gregory a Pastoral Shepherd if ever there was one leading us step by step through the Mass.

It was interesting the way the homily was translated into five different languages, each translator was given two minutes to summarize the homily. His Eminence was given the opportunity to say a few words, not only were the words not so few, his voice was clear and meaningful. This was not the end for he started to sing to the delight of the people which almost brought the new Cathedral roof off. There was plenty of dancing and singing both during the Mass and after wards. One could feel the pure joy and happiness of the people that day. A Blessed day indeed for everyone.

May 26^th 2006 Day of Remembrance

This was held in five different places simultaneously :

Place Main Celebrant

Kongo Archbishop Kpiebaya Archdiocese of Tamale.

Bolga Bishop Lucas Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese.

Bongo Bishop Boi-Na Yendi Diocese. SVD

Navrongo Bishop Bemille Wa Diocese.

Wiaga Bishop Philip Damongo Diocese.

All these places are within the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese.

The Pilgrims joined their own Bishop to one of the five places where they were going to celebrate the Day of Remembrance. Along with the Diocesan Priests, the local evangelizers, there were also eighty five missionaries of who twenty died in Ghana.

I went on a nice coal tar road from Bolga to Bongo about fifteen kilometer. The area is very rocky, one wonders at times how the people make ends meet. where hard farming work had already been under taken, while waiting for more rains to come.

There was a Carnival atmosphere at Bongo as the people waited for Bishop Vincent Boi-Na to arrive. He works in an area which has experienced many problems over the years, yet now has come to we pray a new level of peace and calm.

Bishop Vincent is a simple person to meet which is why the people took to him straight away. The event brought many groups from the surrounding villages to the main church that is far too small to hold such a large crowed, so in the end there were more people outside than inside the church.

Two of our Ghanaian Missionaries are from Bongo, Frs. John Amona working out in Congo and John Asibire in Tanzania. Fr. John Asibire is just on home leave the day before. The father of Fr. John Asibire received along with others a Papal award.

The assistant parish priest spoke after the gospel was said, shared many things about what was happening in the parish such as the encroachment of people on the land of the church. Our founding missionary Fr.Armand Lebel settled everything very nicely at the time, so it is strange that encroachment on the land is now taking place.

I have never seen people dancing with such energy as in Bongo at the offertory collection that day. The offertory collection took one good hour. It is said that a certain number of people danced more than once, they were enjoying so much they did not want to stop.

The Mass did finish that very day in order for us to give some moment to those who had gone before us. We moved on a short trip to the parish cemetery where our missionary Fr.Armand Lebel and others are buried. There we remembered those from the parish who were part of the parish history with moments of silent and vocal prayer. In Bongo this was their big Centenary Day Celebration, who honored it in a fitting manner.

May 27^th 2006 The Day of Mary

Most Rev. George Kocherry Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana was the main celebrant. Also present were His Eminence Cardinal Peter K. Appiah Turkson Archbishop of Cape Coast, with many other bishops and dignitaries.

This took place in Our Lady of Seven Sorrows the old Cathedral of Navrongo which is made from the local building material, so beautifully and traditionally designed.

The whole of the liturgy was full of life and energy again with plenty of singing and dancing. The climax came when the Nuncio announced that Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Cathedral has been elevated to a Basilica, so it is now to be called “Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Miner Basilica” There are no words to describe the jubilation that took place among the people both inside and outside the Basilica when this announcement was made. People were so happy, proud and honored by this blessing on the whole of the population, a kind of reward for all their Christian efforts and hard work over the one hundred years of evangelization. The supreme sacrifice was made by Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese during that Mass when one of the centenary organizers a man from Navrongo died in an accident while making some last minuet preparations. May he truly rest in peace, with healing for the two families involved?

May 28^th 2006 The final day

The Main Celebrant on the final day was Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson.

Again everything was so special and new history was being made before ones eyes. There was a very symbolic handing over of the gospel by Fr. Francis Bokmansaan. The Provincial of the Missionaries of Africa Ghana-Nigeria Province to the Most Rev. Lucas Abadamloora Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese. to continue spreading the word of God over the next one hundred years. The Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA) also symbolically handed over the light of Christ to Sr. Juliette Kpimebome (Congregational Leader) of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI).

One of our missionaries by the name of Fr.Hugo v.d. Haute. along with others received a Papal Award. The Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama of the Republic of Ghana spoke well of the Catholic Church and the early missionaries, with firm promises of assistance towards the completion of the New Cathedral and in other areas of the churches work.

Report by Brother Vincent Davies, M.Afr.