Akatsi (V/R), Feb 2, GNA - His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, Catholic Arch Bishop of Cape Coast, on Sunday urged Christians to preach the true Christian Gospel in words and deeds despite opposition and challenges that they would face.
He was speaking at the commissioning of a 3.1 billion-cedi Diocesan Centre comprising a conference hall, dormitories, restaurant and Secretariat for the Keta-Akatsi Diocese of the Catholic Church, at Akatsi.
Cardinal Turkson said every opportunity to worship was a chance for Christians to celebrate God's presence through the preaching of the Gospel.
He said breaking and sharing of bread and offering of prayers for the renewal of faith was a reminder to carry on with the Christian mission of preaching the Gospel to the world.
Every time Christian worshippers were dispersed "to go in peace," they were in fact being told to go and carry out the Christian mission, of preaching the gospel to unbelievers with an assurance of God's protection, he pointed out.
Cardinal Turkson said every Christian who preaches the truth must therefore expect opposition and hostility from those who are against the truth but have conveniently taken refuge in Christianity to propagate their falsehoods.
He pointed out that Christianity had never been a popular mass movement in the world but a mission of a "select few" of the "narrow path" whose message of truth had never been palatable to the majority who only want to be "tickled" by what they hear and urged Catholics especially to let their faith show in everything they do.
Cardinal Turkson noted that Ghana was in a period of falsehood, which posed a serious challenge on the true Christian to be a pillar and bulwark in God's mission with the assurance that, "God has never and would never allow you to be crushed".
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Dzamesi, said the region felt greatly honoured with Cardinal Turkson's visit since it was his first to any region following his elevation.
He stressed the need to strengthen the bond of co-operation between the Church and State for the spiritual and physical development of the people.
Mr Dzamesi said Cardinal Turkson's charge to Christians to bear the "truth at all times is necessary to make us free".
The Most Reverend Anthony Adanuty, Bishop of the Keta-Akatsi Diocese, said the significance of the visit to the Diocese was not just because it was his first diocesan visit since his elevation. He said Cardinal Turkson opted to be in the Diocese setting aside an invitation to attend the centenary of a sister diocese in the Western region.
Meanwhile the Akatsi District Assembly has donated five million cedis towards the administration of the centre. Mr Nicholas Negble, District Chief Executive, expressed the hope that the centre would be made available for public functions since the District lacked such facilities.
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