Most Reverend Matthias Kobena Nketsiah, Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast on Tuesday urged Catholic priests to remain men of faith since they have been chosen from among the believing community to serve and proclaim the word.

He said as stewards of believers and the word, it was imperative for them to have faith, adding that, if they fail to be people of faith, there would be disaster and danger in the believing community.

Archbishop Nketsiah said this at a Chrism mass and renewal of commitment of priestly service at the St Francis de Sales Cathedral in Cape Coast, as part of activities of the passion week to herald the celebration of Easter.

The Mass, which was attended by about a hundred priests, seminarians, reverend sisters and Brothers, as well as the lay faithful drawn from the all the parishes and out stations in the archdioceses, was used to bless special oil for the anointment of Catechumens, the Sick and the ordination of Priests.

Archbishop Nketsiah, who based his sermon on “Faith” following the declaration of “2013 as a year of faith and evangelisation,” by Pope Emeritus Benedict the XVI before his retirement on February 28, asked the priests “to serve as good Shepherds, who know and feed their sheep and the sheep know them.”

He said as Ministers of the word, they should endeavour to constantly proclaim the word and should “believe what they read, teach what they believe and live what they believe”, this he noted would make them true Disciples of Christ.

He stressed that if there should be a fault with their faith, the church would be in a disaster since the church teachings and doctrines were based on faith and urged them to use Abraham in the Bible as their role model and emulate his strong faith in God since they too have been called by God to serve.

He pointed out that though they did not have their own biological children, by faith, God has given them spiritual children and they should therefore “feed these children and make sure they find the lost ones among them and take good care of the injured”, this he stressed is what a faithful priest should do.

Archbishop Nketsiah said “as you renew your priestly vows you should consider the abandonment of earthly things and endeavour to preach the word and feed the lambs for this is why you have been called.”

He called on all Christians, Catholics in particular, to continue praying and support the clergy in their work to enable them to effectively perform their duties.