One hundred and sixty faithful and rectorates from 55 parishes in the Kumasi Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church have been presented with special Papal awards at a ceremony in Kumasi.

The awards presentation was part of activities to climax the year-long celebration of the 130 years of Catholicism in Kumasi.

The recipients were selected from Pankrono, Tarkwa-Makro, Kufour Camp, Amakom, Barekese, Bantama, St Peters’ Basilica among others.

Making the presentation, Most Reverend Thomas Kwaku Mensah, the outgoing Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI congratulated the beneficiaries for the awards and urged them to continue to work hard to win more souls for Christ Jesus.

He urged them to let the awards spur them on to work extra hard towards the development of the church while also serving as role models for others to emulate.

Mr. Emmanuel Obeng, President of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at Pankrono, on behalf of the other recipients, thanked the church for the honour done them and pledged to continue working hard for the church.**