When the first missionaries came to Ghana, a hundred years ago, it did not at first look like a great success. The people were reluctant to embrace Christianity and most of the missionaries died within a few weeks from sickness and malnutrition. How did it happen then, that the Catholic Church spread nonetheless and that today more than 18% of the inhabitants of the country are now Catholics? One might indeed be tempted to call it a miracle. As it happens, at that time there was a great drought in Ghana. Men and animals were dying of thirst and the vegetation was withering away. The witch doctors tried everything to conjure up rain, but not one drop fell from the sky. In their desperation the people in one region turned to a Christian missionary. He prayed, and half an hour later the rain was pattering down on the earth. To this day almost all the people of this region are still Catholics.
In our day too there are missionaries at work in Ghana. One of them is the Italian Franciscan, Father Martino Corazzin. He has been there since 1991 and over the years he has initiated more than 60 social and pastoral projects here. He loves the people among whom he lives; indeed, the eyes of this quiet priest light up when he speaks of his parishioners. Although the climate, with a humidity of 95%, is hard to bear and diseases like malaria abound, it makes no difference to his love for Ghana. "The African soul is a spiritual soul. I have never yet known anyone here to be angry against God when something has gone wrong. Even after the heaviest blows of fate, the people still thank God. I have often experienced that the sick and the poor accept even their own plight as a gift from God", he says. Recently, a terrible thing happened in the region where he lives. A young man was murdered and his killers drained off his blood for their grisly juju rituals, which are supposed to bring riches. "I visited his family, but there was absolutely no hatred in them", says Father Martino.
Even between Christians and Muslims, who make up around 12% of the population, one again and again hears of gestures of reconciliation. Undoubtedly there are tensions from time to time, but the proof that these can be overcome is shown by the story of a young Muslim who wanted to become baptised. His father at first reacted with fury and the 17-year-old youth fled to a place some hundreds of miles away, for fear of his own family. He found refuge with the Franciscans and here he asked Fr Martino if he would be his new father. The young man stayed a few years with the Franciscans, was baptised and worked for the Order. Then one day, when Father Martino returned to the monastery from a journey, the young man had disappeared. He had been reconciled with his father and was able to return to his family.
The Catholic Church in Ghana enjoys the respect of many who are not Catholics, for many people say, "This is the only Church that does anything for us!" Her priests too are respected and esteemed as servants of God. Says Father Martino, "We want the people to sense that what we preach are by no means empty words. The word of love must be accompanied by deeds." The number of native Ghanaian priests is growing steadily.
According to Father Martino, for a priest from Europe, working in Africa is deeply fulfilling. He remarks, "In Europe the people rush back home again immediately after Mass, but in Africa they stay and talk to one another. They stand around together and talk to each other. Sunday is important, for it is the day of the Lord. Nobody looks at his watch or complains that the Mass is taking too long. God is what matters most. And there is greater solidarity among the people too, than there is among us. Everyone finds support in his family or in his village."
In April 2006 Pope Benedict XVI told the bishops of Ghana that the Church "shines forth as a beacon of hope" in the life of the Christian. In order that this beacon of hope may continue to burn brightly in Ghana, the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is supporting the pastoral work of the Church here. Last year ACN funded projects in Ghana to the value of $320,000.
To help this cause please contact the Sydney office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: [email protected] or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web: www.aidtochurch.org