Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) Province of Ghana has observed its 140th Anniversary Celebration with a call on all sisters to develop the capacity of novelty and curious about new happenings.
The capacity for novelty, the capacity to be enthusiastic and the capacity to be curious about new things that are happening, according to the Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Coast-Ghana, His Eminence Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson is very crucial thing that comes with knowledge of the past.
Addressing the gathering at the 140th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, 30 December 2023 at the forecourt of the Elmina Castle, he said memory of the past always also inspires us with a new spirit in the Presence.
His Eminence Cardinal Appiah Turkson urged the Lady of Apostles to never think that they’ve seen, and know it all and that the capacity to be able to ask why about events in this world, and the capacity to want to find out why things are, why they are, is a very worthy disposition in anybody who serves God, like Moses.
He noted, “We don’t say, at 80, I know it all, I’ve seen it all and I know what it’s all about. No. At 80, Moses still asks the question, why is the bush on fire and not burnt? and so, this capacity for novelty, this capacity to be enthusiastic about new terms, this capacity to want to find out why, is a very crucial thing. Celebrating 140 years comes with this capacity because new things they would always be, and the new things always invite us to come up with new answers and new responses. And that is what the celebration 140 years invite us to do”.
Speaking on the theme: “Celebrating 140 years of Ola Sisters Presence in Ghana: Our Mission Today and Tomorrow”, H.E Cardinal Appiah Turkson encouraged Our Lady of Apostles to revive their zeal, go back to their original enthusiasm and their first solemn vows when they decided to serve God.
“…Whatever Zeal and enthusiasm you had in doing those, where are they now? Disappeared, dissipated every now and then. It’s also necessary to always go back to your galilee, go back to your original enthusiasm with which you decided to serve God in this life. For without going back to those, to rekindle those enthusiasm, you tend always to live like burnt out whatever. So, this is the sense of history, reliving of the past, always in our mist”, he added.
To this end, he further appealed to them to embrace technology and entrepreneurship as they constitute a new drive in the 21st century.
Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles
The congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles was founded in 1876 under the council of Fr. Augustine Planque, the co-founder of African Mission Society when the need for missionary sisters who could work closely women and children to make evangelism more effective.
In 1883, the OLA Sisters started simply and with the arrival of two European Sisters in Elmina where they established the first catholic Girls’ school. From Elmina, the OLA Sisters’ missionary apostolate spread to Cape Coast, Sekondi, Ekwei, Keta, Kumasi, Ho, Breman Asikuma, Fosu, Vroomdorp, Kenyasi, Hwidiem, Nkwanta among several places.
Celebration
Province leader, Sister Perpetual Cecilia Acquah said the celebration means the renewal of their commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of the Ghanaian people, particularly the children and women who depend on them for support and hope.
She reiterated that the legacy left them by the predecessors is one of boundless compassion, unwavering resilience and dedicated service, adding that they are guided by the spirit to be today’s apostles, prophetic witnesses to our world. We recognise the need to evolve our style of evangelization, embracing a path of synodality, inclusion and fraternal life.
“Like the apostles, we heed Father Planque’s invitation to deepen our knowledge and love of God and in turn make God known and loved by those we influence today”, she said.
She also challenged all Our Lady of Apostles that as they reflect on their journey, they not forget the countless lives that have been touched and transformed through their work but carry forward the touch of compassion, dedication and service that has guided them for 140 years.
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Source: Eric Sekyi/ATL FM NEW
