The founder of the Catholic Organisation for Social and Religious Advancement, Monsignor Jonathan Ankrah, has reflected on the humble beginnings of the movement, recalling how a lack of activity in the Church inspired its formation and expressing confidence in its continued growth.
Speaking in an interview with Catholic Trends during a recent visit by COSRA leadership, Msgr. Ankrah said the organisation was born out of a desire to revitalise parish life and engage young Catholics more meaningfully.
“There was no real activities at the cathedral. The others had their societies, and as I said in the beginning, only CYO and CASU was there, and there was no action. So we came together to do something, to bring fire,” he said.
He explained that the early members sought to bridge both spiritual and social gaps within the Church by creating a space for interaction, learning and active participation.
“That is why those who were around, we called them together and said, let’s do something. And that’s why the religious and social thing came together and started doing something, bringing people to talk to the people. That is how we became very popular,” he added.
According to him, COSRA’s mission from the beginning was to deepen faith formation while also fostering social engagement among members.
“The religious things were not there. We all attended mass, but we wanted to see more about the church. And that’s why we brought people to talk about the church,” he said.
On the social front, he noted that members deliberately reached out beyond their immediate environment to build connections and strengthen participation across parishes.
“In the social, we weren’t doing anything. So we have to bring something together. We went to parishes, we talked to other parishes, we met together and did things,” he said.
Reflecting on the current state of the organisation, Monsignor Ankrah expressed satisfaction with its growth and the commitment of those who sustained it over the years.
“When I left for the seminary, those who continued worked very, very hard. They worked very, very hard. And oh, there’s a lot of improvement,” he said.
He acknowledged that while the group faced challenges in some areas, its expansion across dioceses has been encouraging.
“There was only one place where we had difficulties. That is Ho Diocese, because the bishop was scared, but now it is also there. And you will be surprised, the people at the north, they are doing very, very well. And Kumasi. So I’m very happy that the thing has caught up in so many Dioceses. And we are grateful to God,” he said.
Monsignor Ankrah also highlighted COSRA’s openness to young Catholics who may not feel drawn to existing groups within the Church.
“Young people who don’t want to join the old societies can join COSRA easily. So that is positive,” he said.
Looking to the future, he expressed strong confidence that the organisation will continue to thrive.
“It will continue to grow, even when I’m dead. They will continue to grow. I can feel that,” he said.
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