By Kodjo Adams
Accra, April 26, GNA- Catholic faithful, the diplomatic community and other religious bodies joined the Catholic faithful Friday evening to hold a requiem mass at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra for the late Pope Francis.
The solemn and prayerful mass was to honour the life and legacy of the Holy Father.
The Most Reverend Bishop Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, reading the tribute on behalf of the Conference, extolled the legacy of the Pope, globally.
“Your Holiness, Pope Francis, your 12-year papacy touched many hearts, and that includes your children in Ghana. It is for this reason that on behalf of the Catholic Church in Ghana, we, the members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, are writing this tribute in appreciation of your pontificate,” he said.
“From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to the dusty roads of Kinshasa and the refugee camps of Lesbos, you walked not as a prince of the Church, but as a pilgrim, a pastor, and a prophet.”
“You chose the name ‘Francis’ not for grandeur but for mission – a pledge to rebuild Christ’s Church through simplicity, solidarity with the poor, and reverence for creation.”
The Most Rev. Bishop Gyamfi said the Pope Francis embodied what he you preached, embraced the disfigured, washed the feet of Muslim refugees, and whispered the unforgettable: “Who am I to judge?”
That was not said to indicate a change in doctrine but to introduce a more compassionate pastoral approach.
In an age of suspicion and walls, the Pontiff built bridges between races, religions, nations, and hearts.
The late Pope Francis was the voice for the voiceless, where he proclaimed the dignity of every human being from the slums of Buenos Aires to UN podiums, Most Rev Bishop Gyamfi, also the Bishop of Sunyani, said.
In Africa, the Pope was not a foreign dignitary but a brother, and condemned corruption and exploitation in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In the Central African Republic, amid conflict, heopened the Holy Door of Bangui Cathedral, proclaiming hope in the face of terror. In South Sudan, he knelt to kiss the feet of warring leaders, beggingthem to “make peace”.
Bishop Gyamfi said the Pontiff called Africa “the continent of hope” and honoured her youth as the “now of God”.
Beyond the continent’s problems, he saw people to be empowered to solve those problems.
“Your voice amplified theirs – against injustice, for dignity, and in celebration of a faith as vibrant as the African sun,” he said.
Archbishop Julien Labore, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, in his sermon, said the Pope was a religious leader who listened to one another.
He was a true champion of inclusivity, and his leadership was marked by humility and care for the poor and vulnerable.
The Apostolic Nuncio said the Pope’s exemplary life was a call to all to serve humanity with dignity, adding:”He said what many leaders in the world could not say.”
“The Pope has respect for the views of others. We pray for the Church to love one another and pray that God grants him eternal rest.”
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Foreign Affairs Minister, who represented the Government, conveyed their deepest sympathy to the leadership of the Catholic Church.
He said the Pope had taught him and many people about modesty and simplicity in dealing with one another.
Mr Ablakwa said the Pope was a unifier and compassionate, who prioritised the needs of others and was an advocate for the poor.
“The Pope visited Dr Congo, South Sudan and other conflict areas but refused to wear bulletproof gear because he was ready to sacrifice his life to the world,” he said.
Other government delegations included Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide, and Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Presidential Staffer.
Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, the second Deputy Speaker in Parliament, and Mrs Patricia Adjei, the Deputy Minority Leader, were also present.
The representatives of Chief Imam, Sheikh AremeyawAnas and other religious bodies were at the ceremony.
Pope Francis died at age 88 on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025.
The Papal funeral mass is being held today, Saturday, April 26, at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, one of the Catholic Church’s most important sites, with more than 50 world leaders and 11 reigning monarchs in attendance.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina on December 17, 1936, was elected Pope on March 13, 2013, surprising many Church watchers who had seen the Argentine cleric, known for his concern for the poor, as an outsider.
He had won many awards, including the Independent Publisher Book Award for Freedom Fighter of the Year in 2017.
Pope Francis was the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2013 until his death in 2025.
Since the viewing of the Pope began on Wednesday, an estimated 250,000 people have passed through the basilica, where Francis had been laid in an open coffin before the main altar, the Vatican said.
GNA
ABD