The Ghanaian Catholic Community in Worcester, Massachusetts is preparing feverishly to host this year’s Ghanaian Catholic Apostolates’ Laity Council of New York, New Jersey and New England Retreat at the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church.

The two-day Retreat, scheduled for Friday, August 10 and Saturday, August 11, 2012 under the theme, “Living Healthy Spiritual Life In The 12st Century”, would bring together Ghanaian Catholics from seven apostolates, which constitute the Laity Council.

Attending are representatives from St. Mary’s Apostolate - Newark, New Jersey; St. Catherine of Genoa Apostolate - Brooklyn, New York; St. Benedict the Moor Apostolate-Queens, New York; St. Margaret Mary and Christ the King Apostolates from Bronx, New York; St. Mary’s Apostolate from East Hartford, Connecticut, and the St. Joan of Arc Apostolate - Worcester, Massachusetts.

The Retreat would afford delegates the opportunity to pray for peace and unity among all Catholics and Ghanaians, as well as sharing in their faith.

Speaking about the Retreat, the Chairman of the Council, Anthony Boadu said “as Christians, there is the need for us to meet from time to time to take stock of our lives, our relationship with Christ and with society”.

He said Christians should let their lives be symbols of peace and love, devoid of discrimination and uncontrolled craving for wealth. These, he said, divert their focus from faith to worldly adventures that are of no use to humanity.

Boadu also explained that the convention would afford the delegates an opportunity to dedicate themselves to prayer as a means to solidify christian morality.

On his part, Rev. Fr. John Kyere, who is the Chaplain to the Council advised all Christians to join hands in spreading the good news about salvation and further urged church leaders to put people in touch with God who is the light, truth and pure love and to nourish their belief in God.

He gave the assurance that by the end of Retreat, delegates will adopt good community relationship to enable them live in peace with society.

Rev. Fr. Kyere, further, urged Catholics to regard the church as a family of God and work hard to ensure its growth and stability through God’s blessings, reconciliation, justice and peace. The President of the host Apostolate, Nicholas Obeng said the Laity Council is not only seeking the welfare of Ghanaian Catholics in the USA but has also extended a helping hand to the Catholic Community in Ghana. Obeng pointed out that the Laity Council is currently sponsoring a cafeteria complex for the Ghana Catholic University College at Fiapre, near Sunyani at a cost of $100,000.00. He explained that so far the Council has contributed about $60,000.00 towards the project which is at lintel level.

The Laity Council was formed in 1998 to foster unity and cooperation among Ghanaian Catholic communities in the tri-region of New York, New Jersey and New England, as well as to coordinate the activities of various Ghanaian Catholic apostolates.

It also promotes Ghanaian Catholic presence in the local areas/dioceses, and serves as a link between Ghanaian Catholic Communities in the United States of America and local churches in Ghana with the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference serving as the pillar between this link.