Koforidua, Aug. 27, GNA - Most Reverend Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, on Sunday called on women not to relegate their role in society to the background in their quest for quality and empowerment.

He said women emancipation was necessary, but "in as much as we tried for that recognition, the motherly role of the African woman who is the homemaker must not be overlooked." Archbishop Palmer-Buckle made the call at the dedication of Saint Bakhita Catholic Church at Koforidua. Saint Josephine Magrita Bakhita was an African woman who suffered cruel hardship of being a slave at her tender age but later became a catholic sister.

He noted that women had been cheated for a long time and the desired empowerment must not let women lose sight of their God given responsibilities. Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle told the congregation that, God in his infinite wisdom had assigned specific roles to men and women, however, the role of woman had been exaggerated, hence the need for empowerment to enhance their roles for society.

He observed that single mothers had succeeded in the up bringing of their children more than single fathers and African women must be proud of that not withstanding the empowerment. Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said for the humility of St. Bakhita and her feeling for fellow human beings when she served as a Canossian sister in Verona and during world wars when she took care of wounded soldiers in an extra ordinarily manner, she was canonized in 2000 as a saint.

He urged the congregation to emulate the deeds of St. Bakhita who was well known in Verona in Italy where she was sold to a family as a slave due to her meekness and goodness as the 'Black sister'. Archbishop Palmer Buckle, who described St. Bakhita as the epitome of an African woman, said African women must therefore, cherish who they were despite challenges they faced in their homes, among their families and anywhere their service would be needed as their contribution to nationhood. Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle during his tenure as Bishop of Koforidua Diocese of the Catholic Church in 1999, decided to build the church for Catholics in Old-Estate Community.