The St Martins of Tours Catholic Church. Inset: The dedication ceremony
The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, His Grace Most Rev. Charles G Palmer-Buckle has consecrated the St Martins of Tours Catholic Church on Sunday, 6 May 2018 at Teshie Camp in Accra.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle expressed his joy about the momentous and sacred dedication of the new chapel of God which will touch hundreds and thousands of lives. He admonished members not to forget that God is represented in the church and advised them to dedicate the Church for His work.
He commended the Rev Father Lt Col Winfred Delali Kodzo Sraha, the Church Pastoral Council, individuals and the whole church community who had been extraordinarily dedicated and worked hard in constructing a beautiful temple to the Lord.
“We have done this so that God may be worshipped, that his name be known, that his name will be planted and through the on-going transformation of a people, bring light to the world,” he added.
The Archbishop advised the church to be determined and hold fast to the principles of God’s work and dedicate themselves with the realization that as a church they are God’s holy people. He urged the members to be selfless, exhibit love and sacrifice themselves even to the point of dying for another.
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General OB Akwa thanked the Archbishop of Accra, His Grace Most Rev. Charles G Palmer-Buckle for his august presence and lauded the Clergy, Chairman and members of the church for putting up such a beautiful and big edifice of worship.
He entreated the people to be more evangelistic everywhere they found themselves and abide by the word of God, be mindful of false prophets, false teachings and practices. He further advised them to be trustworthy and spiritual because that would make them become better Christians, more committed and serious church members.
CDS together with his Service Chiefs presented a token of Ten Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢10,000) for additional Pews, Parish hall/washroom and ceiling projects.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Brigadier General Nicholas Peter Andoh, in his opening remarks said it was the end of almost 26 years of determined and concerted effort by the members of the Church to build a befitting temple for many Christians in the camp and its catchment area.
According to him, it was most gratifying to reflect on the sacrifices and voluntary contributions that members of the congregation had made towards the building of the great Cathedral to the glory of God. He added that the Three Thousand seating capacity edifice was an attestation to God’s blessings and favour on the church.
He added that the church would be a place for holding military functions and church parades and services for Officer Cadets at the Ghana Military Academy and Training Schools (MATS) as well as all those who embark on courses at MATS.
The genesis of the St Martin of Tours Catholic Church is traceable to the movement of the West Africa Command Clerks Training School from Kibi to Teshie in 1944. The Catholic Community in Teshie Camp was pastorally administered by the Society of African Missionaries from Cape Coast. Roman Catholic Priests occasionally visited the Clerks Training School for Padre Hours and celebrated the Holy Eucharist on Sundays.
The church’s former place of worship until November 11, 2009, was an old Cinema Hall converted into a Non-Denominational Chapel (Garrison Chapel). The Garrison Chapel was mainly used by Presbyterians, Methodist and Evangelical Presbyterian churches. The Garrison chapel came with challenges which led to agitation in the Catholic community to move out of the Garrison Chapel by building its own.
The sod cutting was done in 1992 by the late Archbishop Dominic Kodwo Andoh whilst the actual construction of the church started in October 1996.
