Ghana Catholic Mission -Hamburg

The Ghana Catholic Mission in Hamburg in December 2012, organized a gargantuan Xmas Party for their church members at the Überseering 15, at City Nord a very cozy neighborhood of Hamburg. Most of the Church members came to the party premises after the usual church services. The rest joined later to merry with them.

The Usual Church Service:
For having attended the catholic sermons for almost 5 years, this is how it goes!
The songs for the day are usually posted on the walls, so you know what page to turn to and sing along. In our school days, we entered whilst the first song is sung - some of the people who got there first sing along or the beautifully dressed choir members do the singing.

The Priest comes out and says a prayer, sounds the same every other Sunday. We ask forgiveness for our sins, and there are some songs. That has always been the part I enjoyed most. Running to town without permission was my trade mark.

Then another prayer before the Priest tells us a story, a different reading with a different message every week. The one I love most is 1Timothy 6: 10, “The root of all evil is money”. Unfortunately most people read this verse as if it is one plus one.

Then we wish peace to our neighbors by shaking hands or hugging everyone around us and saying “peace be with you". I say this without meaning it….

We then recite the Nicene creed as well as the apostles creed. To be honest I have never been able to do this till date. Then we have a silent moment to pray our own prayers. I kept asking God that my poor parents have enough to pay my school fees, buy me some “Shito & Gari” and pray one day I become a lawyer.

Then it's time to bless the bread and wine - here's where the Priest does most of the talking.

We then take the communion, this I never did, thinking I am not holy enough – the Priest or Catechist updates us on news in the church. I remember we stayed longer when the Bishop was on visit. Unfortunately the Pope was never around.

We knelt down a lot, to be frank I do this when the real Catholics are kneeling, I think we hold hands when saying the Lord’s Prayer. The sign of the cross before AMEN was also not unusual.

The party:
Our lord is creative, our lord is dynamic, he is fair and just and sometimes too patient, to my dislike, but I never knew he could dance Azonto. The party was a boom, the hall was nicely dressed, and filled with All-Die-Be-Die & Edey be k3k3. There was enough to eat, drink and my wife has to pull me from the dancing floor as my moves were out of order (Kolo).

Crowning the day is the Azonto Dance Competition, I did my best, but this small boy call Tony humiliated me. Well we need to praise this young talent. He won uncontested.

I wish to cease this opportunity to thank the following for such a historic initiative:

Rev. Anthony Amoako-Attah O.P., Theophilius Asare Bediako, Mr. James Mensah, Daniel Danso, Obiri Manu Bio, Stephen Ampofo, Thomas Boakye Dankwa, James Sampson Naah, Nana Kwame Poku, Stephen Fosu Atakorah, Monica Serwaah, Cecilia Niemann, Joe Abankwa, Yaw Yeboah, Peter Frimpong, John Appiah Manu, Dr Victoria Manu, Mary Monica Dadson, Beatrice Serwaah & Ellen Manu Antwi.

Don’t forget to invite me next time; I shall be there with my new pair of dancing shoes.

May peace and joy be yours during this wonderful season and the coming New Year.

Desmond John Beddy