DUNKWA DEANERY INAUGURATES THE DENKYIRA ASIKUMA GROTTO AS A PILGRIMAGE SITE IN VIEW OF DOUBLE JUBILEE
The year 2025 was officially declared a Holy Year by Pope Francis on the 9th of May 2024 when he released a papal bull titled “Spes Non Confundit”(Hope does not Disappoint). The Pope in the Bull clearly outlined specific dates for the opening of the Holy Door. Pope Francis is the first to have opened the Holy Door on the evening of 24th December 2024 at the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Archbishop of Cape Coast, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle also inaugurated the Archdiocesan Holy Door at the St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, Cape Coast on the last Sunday of the year, thus 29th December 2024. As required by the Church, the Clergy, religious, and lay faithful are all encouraged to go through the Holy Door during this Holy Year. However, considering certain militating factors the Church grants every Bishop to also open some few Holy Doors or Holy Sites in their respective local dioceses to promote active and high participation in the celebration of the Jubilee Year. Among some of the places chosen in the Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast for the designation of a Holy Site is the Marian Grotto at St. Paul’s Parish, Denkyira Asikuma. This site becomes an official pilgrimage site, where the faithful in the deanery will have their spiritual renewal during this double jubilee.
The Dunkwa-On-Offin deanery on Saturday, 4th January 2025 inaugurated their Holy Site–– the Marian Grotto at Denkyira Asikuma, as designated by the Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, the Catholic Archbishop of Cape Coast. The programme began at 10:00 am with some songs of praise and worship by the singing ministry. After which Rev. Fr. Richard Quiadoo the Parochial Vicar for Denkyira Asikuma delivered the welcome address and also led the praying of the holy rosary. Fr. Michael Justin Ocran led the intercessory prayers at the pieta after the rosary prayers.
Holy Mass begun at around 12:30pm. The main celebrant was Fr. Jude Baidoo (the Rector of Maudaso). There were some priests who concelebrated such Frs. Peter Amoah (the Dean), Paul Preprah, Alex Abakah, Ebenezer Aganu luvo, Michael Justin Ocran, Richard Quiadoo and Francis Ayaric.
Fr. Jude at the beginning of the celebration took the opportunity to explain the reason and relevance of the Holy Door in the Jubilee Year. The Holy Door is deemed “Holy” since it calls all of us to enter through it in holiness of life. He made it clear that this period is a moment of blessing to because praying and passing through the Holy Door comes with special grace from God. He also added that, our disposition should be that of repentance and renewal and approach the sacrament of penance.
Fr. Ayaric delivered the day’s homily and he first of all talked about the double jubilee as two significant celebrations of the Church. He explained that the Universal Church has designated this year to be a Jubilee Year and the Archdiocese also celebrates 75th anniversary this year since its creation as an Archdiocese. Hence, combining both celebrations we derive double jubilee. Secondly, he explained the origin of the Jubilee year making reference to Leviticus 25. He said essentially the jubilee for the Jews was a time of liberation from all forms of hardships or oppression. He noted that for the Jews the jubilee meant the land be given rest, remission of debts, restitution of land and the freeing of slaves. Fr. Ayaric making reference to the day’s gospel reading said John the Baptist’s statement clearly pointed out the Messiah as the Lamb of God to his disciples. He exhorted the faithful to also know the Lord Jesus so as to enable us also show Christ to others. In his conclusion, he reminded the faithful that this Jubilee is celebrated under the theme Pilgrims of Hope (Pereginantes in Spem). As pilgrims of hope we should never forget that “Hope does not disappoint” (Roman 5:5) for this reason we should all recognize the Lord Jesus as our sure and only Hope. Our hope –– Jesus will never disappoint us and so we should replicate same and not disappoint our Lord in our Christian faith.
After the Mass there was a solemn procession to the resurrection tomb site of our Lord at the grotto. Some songs of praise were sung and Fr. Abakah led the divine mercy prayers at the tomb site. The dean of the Dunkwa Deanery in the person of Very Rev. Fr. Peter Amoah, led the prayers and rite for the opening of the Resurrection tomb door as Holy Site for the Dunkwa Deanery. Fr. Dean gave the final blessing.
In conclusion, it must be noted that it was a spirit filled spiritual programme full of grace and blessings. The opening of this Holy Site at the grotto means many more spiritual programmes for the deanery is anticipated to be held at the grotto so to receive special graces from the Holy Site. A good number of lay faithful were present to participate in the celebration.
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