Kumasi, August 12, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor was honoured a Noble Order of the Knights of Marshall-Honoris Causa over the weekend at the sixth Marshall Re-Union conference of the Noble Order of the Knights of Marshall, a leading Apostolate and friendly society in the Catholic Church.

By that, President Kufuor becomes a member of the Knights of Marshall and the first Ghanaian to receive such an honour. The three-day conference held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology had attracted over 3000 Knights and ladies from West Africa and the United Kingdom, and was on the theme: "Living the Christian Life: Responsibilities, Challenges and Expectations". A citation accompanying President Kufuor's membership read: "President Kufuor shared very important historical and religious trait with Sir James Marshall", the man whose name was mortalised by the Noble Order.

"Your family background is Anglican but recognizing the supremacy of the Pope, and the exemplary affinity and dedication of your wife to the Catholic faith, you turned to become a true Catholic - A Roman Catholic not an Anglo-Catholic."

Sir James Marshall, who helped to re-establish Catholicism in the Gold Coast, was an Anglican Minister who later converted and became a lay Catholic, following his belief in the Blessed Virgin Mary. President Kufuor thanked the organisation for the honour done him adding, "I always consider myself a member of the Noble Order by extension because my wife has been a member and I'm appreciative of the tenets of the Knights and ladies of Marshall, particularly your charitable deeds."

Earlier, the Most Rev. Peter Kwasi Sarpong, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi Province, in his opening sermon, urged them to continue to preach the gospel of life in preparation for the kingdom of love devoid of exploitation, ruthlessness, pride and hostility.

He said: "as Marshallans you should lead exemplary lives to become magnets to attract more people to the Church and your Noble Order by reaffirming your faith in Christ and lead more prayerful lives." "You should be prayerful to confront the forces of evil, pride, greed, avidity, avarice, false solidarity and ethnocentricity." The Most Rev. Thomas K. Mensah, Bishop of Obuasi also urged them to work hard to maintain discipline and catholic moral values in the society.

"I challenge you to work along side the other lay organizations and societies, to organize seminars, retreats, theological courses and social teaching of the Catholic Church to fight for total eradication of bribery and corruption," he said.