By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
The surviving family of two deceased women Catholic faithful at NINTING in the Mampong Municipality of Ashanti has handed over a modern and bigger new Temple to the Catholic Church to expand the kingdom of God.
The late women in whose memory the Chapel has been donated to the Ninting St. Peter’s Society in the Bosofuor Parish of the Konongo-Mampong Catholic Diocese are Obaapanin Martha Akua Abira who died at age 105 years and her deceased daughter, Madam Elizabeth Afia Birago, who gave up the ghost at age 86 years 14 years ago.
The new chapel, which is fully furnished with electrical installation together with an Alter, a Vestry and other rooms, was constructed by the children and grand children.
The project, cost thousands of Ghana Cedis through the voluntary contributions of the family members as a memorial for the two faithful women of the Church, at whose Thanksgiving Church service of their funeral the promise was made.
The new chapel, which is to accommodate about 2,000 worshippers at a time, is to replace the old small temple that could barely contain more than 300 people at a go.
A representative of the family, Kwabena Owusu Ababio, speaking to GBC, noted that, the temple donation, apart from being a monument in honour of their late grand mother and mother, is also meant to serve as a convenient place for Christians to intercede for others.
“The House of God is a House of Prayer. And people bring their petition, they come to thank God and acknowledge what God has done for them. And we believe it’s be a resting place for people, who’ll come and intercede for others”, Mr. Ababio said.
The Bishop of the Konongo-Mampong Catholic Diocese, Most Reverend John Opoku Agyemang, who, in th company of his immediate predecessor, Most Rev. Joseph Osei Bonsu, consecrated and dedicated the building and the Alter.
He urged the well to do in society to voluntarily support the expansion of the Kingdom of God in whichever capacity possible, including construction of decent places of worship.
The Diocesan Bishop thanked the Amaniampong family of Ninting for donating the new and befitting temple to the Catholic Church as the dwelling place of God. Most Rev. Opoku Agyemang acknowledged that the project donated was not out of abundance of wealth of the family, but because of their genuine love for God’s work.
“I’m convinced that no one compelled you to do this. You could’ve decided to channel the funds into some other projects including private investments but you chose to spend it on this chapel which has become the House of God and to the glory of your departed loved ones. For this reason, we say, May God bless you”, the Diocesan Bishop said.
Most Rev. Opoku Agyemang asked leadership of the Ninting Catholic Church to ensure regular maintenance of the Chapel to ensure durability and to serve its main purpose of attracting both Catholics and non believers to seek God.
He cautioned the church against turning the temple into arena of politics and social centre since such tendencies would defeat the purpose for which it was put up.
Present at the handing over and consecration church service were the traditional leadership and Assembly Member for the Ninting Electoral Area, opinion leaders, various groups of the Catholic Societies within the Bosofuor Parish as well as family members from across Ghana and abroad.
