By the grace of God, today our brother Msgr. Simon Kofi Appiah is to be ordained My sear Bishop for the Jasikan Diocese. We the bishops and archbishops, and entire Catholic La Church in Ghana join with the clergy, consecrated people and Christ’s Faithful of F Jasikan Diocese, in giving Thanks to God for the choice of Msgr. Simon Kofi Appiah who has been counted among the order of Bishops. On this solemn and historic occasion, let me develop the homily in three stages: (1) use the Bishops chosen motto-God is Love (Deus Caritas Est) of the Bishop Elect to congratulate and encourage him as he takes up the office of bishop of Jasikan; (2) urge the clergy, consecrated men and women to collaborate with the bishop; (3) remind the Lay Faithful of their sacred responsibilities towards the bishop and his ministry.
Firstly, permit me to preface my reflections with words of gratitude to Bishop Gabriel Kwasi Ababio Manteh, the premier Bishop of the Diocese of Jasikan. Four years ago, when Bishop Gabriel Kwasi Ababio Manteh was 75 years old and had served as Bishop of Jasikan for 28-plus years, he tendered in his letter of resignation to the Holy Father in accordance with Church Law. The Holy Father accepted his resignation, thanking him for the great accomplishments but the Holy Father requested the Bishop to remain in charge of the diocese till his successor is appointed. Relying on God’s grace, on the collaboration of priests and religious and on the benevolence of the gallant Lay Faithful of Jasikan Diocese, Bishop Manteh has built a sure spiritual and material foundation on which his successor can confidently build. Please with a standing ovation may we acknowledge him and the great things the Almighty has done for him and through him. CONGRATULATIONS, Bishop Gabriel Kwasi Ababio Manteh for faithfully carrying out the office of Bishop the Jasikan Diocese for 28 years. We are proud of you Bishop Manteh.
A Diocese
A diocese is made up mainly of three essential parts: Bishop, priests and Religious, and the Lay Faithful. These three constituents are clearly represented in the Gospel reading just proclaimed: Peter the leader of the apostles and the Church, to whom Mary Magdalene ran for answers, represents the Bishop of a Diocese. The disciple who accompanied Peter to the tomb represents the Priests and Religious of a Diocese. Mary Magdalene who seeks explanation of the mystery of the resurrection from Peter, stands for all the Lay faithful in a Diocese. She ran to Simon Peter, the Bishop to report and seek explanation for what has happened. Then Peter, the Bishop and the disciple (priests and religious) set out together and made their way towards the tomb. But it was Peter, the Bishop and teacher of the Faith, who entered the tomb first to observe and study the unfolding mystery. It was then that the disciple (priest, even if he reached there first) was able to enter, see what the Bishop had already seen and affirmed, before he believed. This is what happens in a Diocese. The Bishop, and the priests read and believe the gospel of Christ. Then they teach this faith to God’s People. Then together with the people they practice what they teach. In consequence, whenever a diocese has no bishop, the teacher of the faith, then a very essential part of the Diocese is missing. God therefore chooses a Bishop for a Diocese when the office of Bishop becomes empty.
Election of Bishop
On the acceptance of the resignation of Bishop Manteh, and in response to the persistent prayers of the Church in Ghana, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, following the tradition of the first apostles, and prompted by the Holy Spirit, appointed Msgr. Simon Kofi Appiah to share in the ministry of the apostles and to succeed Bishop Manteh as second Bishop of Jasikan.
Bishop Simon Kofi Appiah
Bishop Elect, Simon Kofi Appiah, in a few moments, the principal ordaining Bishop will lead the bishops present to lay their hands on you and pray for your consecration. You will be anointed with the oil of Holy Chrism. The Holy Spirit will then come down upon you, unite you more closely to Christ the High Priest, (Is 61:1-3; Lk 4:18-19) and confer new and wonderful powers on you for your ministry as bishop.
When the pastoral staff is handed to you, the consecrating bishop says: Receive the crosier, the sign of your pastoral office: and keep watch over the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as Bishop to govern the Church of God. That is to say God has chosen you to belong to the order of bishops and has given you same responsibilities he gave the first apostles. This choice is an honour granted by God to only those whom God chooses to honour. This inestimable honour, however, is tinged with onerous responsibilities that sometimes seem to be beyond your capabilities. As an example, a Bishop’s primary responsibility is to love equally, all manner of people whom God places in his care. This appears to be an impossible task. Fortunately, your chosen episcopal motto already entreats you and your flock to love all–God is love…whoever does not love does not know God (Deus Caritas Est; 1 Jn. 4:7-12).
In the gospel according to John, before Jesus sends Simon Peter (your name sake) on mission Jesus asks Simon three times, do you love me? And when Peter said, Yes, Lord, you know I love, Jesus told him to demonstrate this love by feeding his sheep and lambs (Jn. 21:15ff). Today, before you assume the office of bishop, you will be asked whether you are committed to feeding the sheep and the lambs of Jesus asked Pet’s Jesus. The same questions but in different words and instead of 3 times you will be asked 9 times whether you Love the Church and God’s people. Simon was hurt that 古 Jesus questioned his love for him the third time. It may seem a bit unnecessary be asked so many times to promise to be kind and compassionate to the people you lead. But we may note that while the call to love all is essential for your office as bishop, to put this love into practice, as the Lord demands, is so challenging. It is therefore required that you are reminded of this question several times today and at every stage of your shepherding role. Individually and collectively people are different and not all make it easy for you to love them. Some even reject your love and reward you with hatred.
By asking you to repeat the promise to love several times, Jesus wants to remind you to love not only the lambs but also the different sheep in the Diocese. He wants you to feed not only the Ewes but also the Ntwumurus; Care equally for the Akans, the Brefos, the Guans and the Komkomba, the Krachi, the Nawuri, Buem, Nkomyo, Kotokoli, Kabre, Baasase, Atsodoe. Your office requires you to love not only those who love you but to love your enemies and those who hate and persecute you; those who write unkind letters to you and about you, those who even think you are a disaster and failure etc. You are required to love the poor, the infirm, refugees, beggars, social misfits; and non-Catholics in Jasikan Diocese, and beyond.
Yes, God is love (Deus Caritas Est). Let this love be known to those who have strayed from their catholic practice, those uncertain and confused by the manifold challenges in their daily lives. Let this love touch the broken-hearted of Isaiah (61:1) the prostitutes and LGBTQ++. Yes, show same love to the corrupt politicians and corrupt public officials, the refugees, the drug addicts, non-communicants, love the doctors and midwives who kill unborn innocent babies, the old and the young and all who are easily forgotten and left behind because nobody hears their cry. All these and more, have a special claim to your pastoral care because Jesus has sent you to feed them. Now, you may have an idea how you challenging it is to love all these equally, as required.
In loving these, you will recall that our Lord’s preoccupation with the wayward, and the marginalized made him the object of much criticism by the Pharisees and scribes. You will remember and learn how the Lord responded to the criticisms. His responses teach that real kindness and compassion towards those in difficulties should not compromise the deposit of the faith as handed down by the church at all times. Nor should it prevent you from being strict in respect of morality, its principles and laws, as taught by the Church down the ages. The Bishop is consecrated in the truth with respect to faith and morals; but at the same time, he is endlessly understanding and patient with human weakness.
Bishop and Priests
God is Love. A category of people you must love are the priests, deacons, and consecrated men and women. These are your closest collaborators and share the ministry of Christ with you. Simon Peter and the disciple journeyed together to the tomb. They did so while collaboratively reflecting on what they might have happened in the tomb. Peter and the Disciple entered. They both saw together and believed what they saw. The second Vatican Council stated with clear sensitivity that “…on account of this communion in the same priesthood and ministry, bishops should regard priests as their brothers and friends and be concerned, as far as they are able to, for their material and especially for their spiritual well-being… They (Bishops) should gladly listen to their priests…in those matters which concern the necessities of pastoral work and welfare of the Diocese (Presbyterorum Ordinis, 7).
An essential commodity which I believe the priests and religious want to find in their bishop is just to be available to them. Many priests are discouraged anduncertain and need our leadership and guidance. I believe if a bishop, just spends the day saying ‘Thank you, and well done’ to his priests, he has done a lot of his job because this precious and yet inexpensive gesture encourages and affirm the priests in the services they are rendering to God’s People. They will in turn support you and look up to you for leadership. In loving them you may note that our priests and religious are not always uncritical of us, to be sure-nonetheless they do give us so much help, and especially so when you make their welfare a priority and concern.
My brother priests, consecrated men and women of Jasikan Diocese, your Bishop loves you with the love of God because the bond that binds priests to their bishop is strong and close. In turn you should love and respect your Bishop. Do priests and bishop not share together, in a marvelous and special manner, in the one priesthood of Christ? A Bishop cannot afford not to love his priest. If a Bishop refuses to love, he will be denying his very identity as Bishop. Your Bishop depends on your humble and obedient collaboration to shepherd the Diocese.
As Clergy and Religious we know that obedience amongst priests and religious seemed less important just after the Council and even now. This is because Vatican Il focused so much on self fulfilment, conscience and all sorts of things to militate against the obedience of Jesus that leads to lovingly laying down one’s life for his people. In my experience, however, priests and religious who are really free inside and are detached, are helped to become like that by obedience. Your respect and obedience are not so much for the person of the bishop as for the office he holds. Remember, obedience is very close to love; in deed it is an aspect of love. And God is Love (Deus Caritas Est). Pray for your Bishop, not only during the mass, but also at every other opportunity that you may have to pray. Encourage the Faithful to pray for the Bishop at all time.
Bishop and Lay Faithful
Dear Bishop Simon, let your kindness and compassion extend to all the Lay faithful, who in good days and bad days, have been loyal to Christ and his Church. Today, on these very grounds, they will celebrate your response to the Lord’s call to be their Bishop. They will encourage you and they will embrace you with pride. Starting tomorrow, like Mary Magdalene, in the gospel, the people of God will look to you for answers, meaning, purpose and peace in their lives. They will look to you to find Jesus in your words of compassion, in your service of the poor, in the simplicity of your life and in the depth of your forgiveness. They will love you and pray that through the ministry of Bishop entrusted to you, you will always point the way not to yourself but to Jesus, the true and only source of God’s mercy, love and peace.
Remember, your frailty as bishop makes you one with those who you serve. Therefore, “Have much mercy! Never tire of being merciful! By virtue of your ordination, you have the capacity of forgiveness that the Lord had, who did not condemn, but to forgive!
My dear Lay Faithful of Jasikan Diocese, love your Bishop because he has been ordained to love you. He tells you in his motto that if you do not love the other person you do not know God. By way of loving him, credit him with your patience, loyalty and understanding to sustain and buoy up the bishop especially in difficult times. I cannot have better words of encouragement than what St. Peter (1Pt.4:8-11;), in the first reading, gives to the Laity of Jasikan Diocese: Your brother says maintain the fervor of your love for one another (including the Bishop) because love covers a multitude of sins…..be hospitable to one another…use whatever gifts one of you has received to serve one another (in Jasikan Diocese). Whoever serves should do so with the strength that God provides.
The bishop appreciates very much your loyalty and devotion. Indeed, all the different activities of the bishop must, in some manner, involve you. By virtue of your baptism and confirmation you have your part to play, your responsibilities to take, and your duties to perform. Around your Bishop, you have your ministry to the world in which you live and work. With him and the priests you form the Diocese. Together you are responsible for the mission of Christ to be accomplished. Constantly pray for your bishop.
Final Words of Encouragement
Finally, you bear the name Simon, Peter, the rock. Take courage from Simon Peter, your patron saint. Jesus knew that Peter made many mistakes, but he chose him because he knew Peter was a real man, a man of strength and a man of enthusiasm. Peter was a rock, and that is what Christ wanted in his first Pope. That is what Christ wants in the Bishop of Jasikan. Bishop Simon Peter, you may not be perfect yet. But you are a Simon Peter, who entered the tomb first and believed. You are a rock, and the Lord has promised to build his Church (Diocese of Jasikan) on you. Jesus knows that the life of a Bishop has moments of joy and there are times when the world will hate you for this ministry he is entrusting to you. But once the Lord has chosen you as bishop, the Lord himself would provide you with all you would need to do his work.
Do not be afraid. You will be supported not only by your priests and the religious and lay faithful but also by your fellow bishops. In communion with the successor of Peter and under his authority, Bishops are the successors of the apostolic college and together with you we have a collegial responsibility for the Church in Ghana and the whole Church.
Put your trust in his Divine Mercy, that He may have mercy on us and on the whole world. Compassion of the Divine Mercy required of a bishop are very appropriate especially during this Easter Season when our minds dwell inevitably on the Risen Lord who bore our infirmities and obediently accepted death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin.
Simon,Now, open your heart to the power and anointing of the Spirit. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole amour of God (Eph. 6:10-11) and allow God, who has begun this good work in you to bring it to fulfilment. AMEN
