<<Print>>

The Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Tamale, Most Reverend Philip Naameh has called on families to desist from the practice of over burdening priests with financial and other responsibilities to the detriment of their duties. He pointed out that most families had shifted all their financial and material responsibilities on catholic priests with the excuse that the men of God do not have children of their own to take care of, thereby pushing them into vices to meet such family demands and pressures. Archbishop Naameh made the call at the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Father Alphonusus Baakyi- Yaa- Dakora at Tizza in the Jirapa District of the Upper West Region, under the theme �All Day Long, I Will Praise and Honour You, Oh God; For All That You Have Done For Me.� Father, Dakora who was ordained a priest on August 6, 1988 worked in the Salaga Parish during the �Guinea- Fowl war� and is currently the Financial Administrator of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tamale. Archbishop Naameh said although priests were to support in taking care of the poor and needy in society, it was not their sole responsibility to do so, and cautioned the congregation to desist from such acts. According to him, demands from people ranging from paying school fees to funding funeral expenses had forced some priests to engage in activities �which were a disgrace to their calling.� He encouraged the congregation and family members to rather pray for priests. Archbishop Naameh commended the missionaries who brought Christianity to the region, noting that majority of inhabitants from the three northern regions were educated thanks to the Catholic Church. He paid a glowing tribute to the late Cardinal Porekuu-Dery, who contributed to the growth of the Catholic Church in the region, and urged the congregation to give relevant information about the late cardinal to quicken his beatification process to Sainthood. He also described Fr. Dakora as an obedient and committed priest who took his priestly duties seriously and responsibly. Reverend Monsignor Christopher Bazaanah thanked God for the life and works of Fr. Dakora and described him as a friendly and hard working person, noting that during his priestly duties at Salaga as a courier he did not abandon his flock when the Guinea-Fowl war broke out. He said Fr Dakora has been meticulous in his duties as the diocesan financial administrator and urged him to continue to serve God all the days of his life. Reverend Bazaanah expressed concern about the decline of training people into priesthood, noting that currently there were only 10 seminarians from the Wa diocese at the seminary. He noted that the situation was worrying because majority of the priests in the diocese were over 50 years and will be retiring soon. He therefore charged the youth to develop interest in the priesthood to enable them to take over from the older ones when they retire.