Accra, July 29, GNA - The Most Reverend Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, on Saturday cut the tape to dedicate the renovated St Peter's Catholic Church building at Osu in Accra.

The Archbishop also officially anointed and consecrated the 12 pillars of the building and an alter, swore in a new Parish Priest and unveiled a plaque to serve as memorial to the occasion. Delivering the homily under the theme: "You Are Peter, And Upon This Rock I Will Build my Church," the Archbishop underscored the symbolic importance of anointing, concentrating and dedicating new places and alters of worship and urged all parishioners to be committed to the faith and to the work of God.

He said as followers of Christ Jesus, it was important that Christians admonished each other as the Apostles did to encourage the expansion of the gospel instead of criticizing the efforts of others. He appealed to all parishioners to bury their differences and exhibit great faith in their priests who were the representatives of God on earth and the Pope as the head of the Catholic Church. The Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle quoted Matthew chapter 16 verse 13 to 19 where the Apostle Peter exhibited great courage and faith by revealing the identity of Jesus Christ and was blessed by the Lord with great power as the foundation of the church of Christ and urged parishioners to emulate such courage to expand the gospel. The newly installed Parish priest, the Rev. Dominic Kwadjo Amegatsitsi, swore both the oath of his faith and office to gain full recognition.

He was entrusted with the keys to the building and that of the tabernacle.

The church, which started as a fellowship of Catholic faithful in a private residence in the Osu community in the 1940 expanded with its first permanent structure constructed in 1949. The structure was renovated and expanded into its current state under initiative of the Rev. Father Stephen Adu Kwaning.