Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, The Catholic Bishop of Ho, has cautioned newly ordained priests against viewing the priesthood as a competition for power, fame, popularity or public approval.
He said the essence of priestly ministry was not to determine who was more powerful, famous or liked by the people, but to remain faithful to one’s vocation and make oneself available to serve the people of God.
Bishop Fianu made the call in his homily during the priestly ordination of Rev. Fr. Jude Tachie and Rev. Fr. Edmund Elorm Ackuaku.
Drawing inspiration from the Scripture readings chosen for the ordination, the Bishop described Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd and urged the newly ordained priests to model their ministry on Christ’s example of selfless and faithful service.
He said the readings reminded priests that their primary responsibility was to tend the flock entrusted to their care, stressing that priestly ministry required humility, commitment and a genuine concern for the spiritual and pastoral wellbeing of the faithful.
According to him, priests should not measure their effectiveness by the size of their following, their level of recognition or the popularity they enjoyed among parishioners.
Rather, he said, their success should be understood in terms of their faithfulness to Christ, their commitment to the Church and their willingness to serve wherever they were assigned.
Bishop Fianu therefore encouraged the newly ordained priests to embrace their priestly vocation with humility and remain accessible to the people they had been called to serve.
He reminded them that the priesthood was fundamentally a call to shepherd God’s people, adding that they must be prepared to accompany the faithful in their joys, struggles and search for God.
The Bishop further urged the newly ordained priests to keep Christ at the centre of their ministry and allow their lives and service to reflect the qualities of the Good Shepherd.
The ordination marks a significant step in the pastoral ministry of the two priests as they begin their service in the Diocese of Ho.
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