Mamponteng (Ash), Jan 1, GNA - Reverend Father Mark Owusu, Associate Parish Priest of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church at Mamponteng in the Kwabre District, has said 2007 would be a year of blessings and full of challenges.

He said the year would be a blessing for all Ghanaians since the country would engage in activities that would facilitate the nation's development, create employment for the youth and strengthen the spirit of peace and unity.

Rev Fr Owusu said this in his homily at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church at Mamponteng on the New Year's Day.

He mentioned the country's Golden Jubilee, issuance of national identification card and redenomination of the cedi as some of the activities the country would be blessed with during the year. Rev Father Owusu urged all Ghanaians to get involved in the programmes and not to play party politics with them.

Rev Father Anthony Oduro Senyah, Chaplain of the Saint Louis Training College in Kumasi, appealed to Ghanaians to be honest, hard working, learn how to love, have courage and hope in life. Rev Father Francis Amoah told his congregation at the Agona Asamang Catholic Church in the Afigya Sekyere District that they not begin the year with fear but with conviction and assurance that God would lead them through a successful year.

He told them to let the agonies, failures, mistakes and disappointments of 2006 to be things of the past and focus on what 2007 has in stock for them.

At the New Edubiase Christ Apostolic Church in the Adansi South District, Rev Joseph Adu told Christians to demonstrate a high sense of commitment in their relationship with God in order to have his blessings during the year.