Atebubu St. Patrick Catholic Church marks World Youth Day

The Atebubu St. Patrick Catholic church has marked this year’s ‘World Youth Day’ with a series of activities in Atebubu.

The weeklong event which is an annual affair on the Catholic calendar has the Pope who is the head of the Catholic Church reaching out to the youth globally with a message of comfort and exhortation.

According to Rev. Father Richard Baatabe the Parochial Vicar of the church, the launch of the event was followed by an adoration with the Blessed Sacrament by the Rev. Father Eric Opoku Aning the parish priest.

Later at a mass, Rev. Father Baatabe who is also the youth chaplain read Pope Francis II message entitled "Stand up. I appoint you as witness of what you have seen." Drawn from the book of Acts chapter 16:36 the seven paged message basically exhorts the youth to stand up and meet the challenges of the times.

It notes that although covid-19 has impacted negatively on society and the youth for that matter, the situation presents only one side of a coin.

“The experience showed us our fragility but it also revealed our virtues including our inclination to solidarity. All over the world we saw a great number of individuals including many young people helping to save lives, sowing seeds of hope, upholding freedom and justice and acting as peace makers and bridge builders.”

It states further ”God is saying to each one of you ‘Arise!’ I fervently hope that this message may help us prepare for new times and a new page in the history of humanity.” The Pontiff said.

Speaking on the theme "The youth and LGBTIQ+ and the Way Forward" at a youth mass as part of the celebration, Mr. Michael Larteh Catchiest of the Atebubu All Saints Catholic church took the audience through homosexuality, the causes and effects.

He admonished them to be focused and hardworking in order to be self-sufficient and to insulate themselves from financial and material attractions used as bait by perpetrators of homosexuality.

The celebration was climaxed with the Christ the King Feast day which saw members of the church processing through the principal streets of Atebubu with the Blessed Sacrament to signify the kingship of Christ after which the youth engaged in a number of sporting activities.