The members of the Institute of the sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (SMMC), Ho Diocese in the Volta Region of Ghana, have arrived in Sokode Gbogame on 10th August, 2026 to observe this year’s annual retreat.
In obedience to the mandate of the Institute, which requires every sister to observe some days of retreat, reflections and silence during some moments in the year, the sisters working in Ho Diocese have chosen their mother house in Sokode as their holy place to observe this mandate.
Apart from this exercise being a requirement for all Sisters, it is also a time of rest, reflection intensified prayer and a response to the invitation from Jesus to his disciple in scripture ” Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'” Mark 6:31
This year’s retreat is on the theme, Drawing from the inspiration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the model of discipleship. The sisters would have enough time to revisit their commitment to God as his disciples in the company of Mary, who has always been their model and patron, as their name suggests.
Rev. Fr. Mark Torwoe, CSsR, the associate priest of St Anthony Catholic Church Kpedze, who has been invited to accompany and assist the sisters in reflecting on this theme, on arrival urged the sisters to be open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as they observe silence and receive the words that would be given them.
This, he said, would enable them to go back to their various apostolate as better disciples.
By. Sr Bridget Kator SMMC. (Catholic Sister Communicators Network, Ghana)
