The Accra East Region of the Noble Order of Knights and Ladies of Marshalls of the Roman Catholic Church has launched a Credit Union to increase the culture of savings among members.

The objective of the initiative is to also offer quality and convenient financial services to the brothers and sisters, while making the membership self-reliant.

The launch of the Credit Union was part of the activities for the eighth Accra East Regional Conference 2019 held on the theme: "Pastoral Care for Marshallan in the Light of Amoris Laetitia: The Quest for Financial Freedom".

Launching the Credit Union, Mr Augustine Appiah, the Regional Grand Knight of the Accra East Region said it took about three months to reflect on its formation as the idea was birthed during the era of the banking reforms.

He said after consulting all the relevant experts on its formation, the leadership fulfilled all the regulatory requirements for establishing the Credit Union.

Mr Appiah urged all Marshallans in the region to take advantage of the financial institution to maximise their financial fortunes by becoming active shareholding members.

The Noble Order also used the occasion to launch its maiden and quarterly newsletter christened 'The Rising Sun Newsletter' to serve as a medium for communicating the activities of the group to members across the globe.

Launching the Rising Sun newsletter, Madam Charity De-Souza, the Immediate Past Regional Noble Lady of the Accra East Noble Order of Knights and Ladies of Marshalls said the success of the medium of communication would be measured by the sustained effort of the council and members to provide content for the quarterly publication.

She said the newsletter would serve as a medium for communicating activities of the Noble Order aimed at strengthening the unity and fraternity that existed among councils and courts.

Madam De-Souza said: "It is my wish and hope that the Rising Sun Newsletter will stand the test of time and help support the cause of Accra East Region."

Speaking on the theme of the Conference, Mr Kingsford Arthur, a Past Regional Grand Knight said Christ called out Christians to eschew bitterness, malice, hatred, revengefulness and attitude that cause uproar as inscribed in Ephesians four verses 31 and 32.

He said love had become the most misunderstood term in the contemporary world, hence the need for the children of God to re-focus to understand it.

Mr Arthur said it had become more relevant in the current dispensation to gain better understanding of love towards becoming vessels of honour in the Lord's Kingdom.

He said Amoris Laetitia as mentioned in the theme was translated as the joy of love as an apostolic exhortation from Pope Francis, which encourages the Christian community to demonstrate love in conduct.

He said the exhortation was a tool to re-awaken the Christian's sense and understanding of love because the idea of love had become an abstract term for many.

To reduce the financial burden on young couples, who would want to bless their marriage, Mr Arthur urged the Church to consider organising mass wedding for such individuals.