The Very Reverend Father Nicholas Afriyie, General Secretary of the National Catholic Secretariat, has urged Catholic faithful to trust and stand firm in the faith irrespective of any temptation that may come their way.

He admonished Catholics not to lose hope in God but be resolute and believe in Him.

He entreated Christians to trust in God’s faithfulness and wait to receive their blessings from Him.

Rev Fr Afriyie said this in Accra on Sunday in a sermon at his farewell thanksgiving mass and the feast of St Kizito.

The farewell mass for Rev Afriyie, who was also the visiting priest at St Kizito Catholic Church in Nima in Accra for nine years was to show appreciation for his unflinching service and support to the Church.

Rev Fr Afriyie said the Book of first Kings 17:7-24 talks about God coming to the rescue of widows and returning their dead sons to life and also how life could be rough and tough when a dear one passes away.

He explained that God is the husband and father of widows and orphans, and that it behooves Christians to show them love of the family to bridge the gap created through the death of their loved ones.

The Reverend Minister encouraged all and sundry to be moved with compassion and offer help to widows and the needy in the society and not wait for a special invitation to reach out to those who need help.

He challenged Catholics as bearers of the good news to bring about change in the lives of people, relying not on ourselves but on the grace of God.

Rev Fr Afriyie urged Christians not to give up when faced with problems, but have faith and seek the grace of God, since Psalm 46: “Gives us hope that God is our refuge and strength, and always there in times of trouble and tribulations.”

“Challenges and trials are part of life, we need to be patient with one another, respect and tolerate each other and desist from social vices that prevents us from receiving God’s favour and grace,” he added.

He urged the church and all religious body to pray fervently for peace to prevail before, during and after the November 7 polls.

Rev Fr Michael Owusu, the Acting Parish Priest of St Kizito Catholic Church on behalf of the Church thanked Rev Fr Afriyie for supporting the Church in celebrating mass over the years, and prayed for success in his endeavors.

Rev Fr Owusu explained that St Kizito was one of the Martyrs of Uganda, baptized on 1886, by Charles Lwanga, the leader of Uganda’s Christian community at Munyonyo.

He was burned alive on June 3, 1886 in Namugongo, and was canonised on 18 October 1964 by Pope Paul VI at Rome. His feast day is on June 3.

As part of activities to bid farewell to Rev Fr Afriyie, the church organised choreography, a durbar to display tribal culture, and presented gifts to him as appreciation for his selfless contribution to the church.

Rev Afriyie thanked members of the Church for their love, prayers and presentations and pledge to remember them in prayers.