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On Sunday 7th July, five young Ghanaian Pre-Novices in the District: George Ignatius Betinin, Frances Ewulley, Joseph Kofi Galley, Dominic Joseph Moonen, Nathaniel Obbih entered the St. Brother Andre Novitiate at the District Center in Brafoyaw for their year of formation as novice Brothers in Holy Cross in the District of West Africa. The ceremony followed after the community praying the Evening Prayer of the Church. Most all present were members of our Holy Cross Family in Ghana. The investiture program was done in a relatively simple manner, albeit not a lessening of the significance of this holy event.

Bro. Daniel Dardoe, C.S.C., District Superior, (center of photo) presided over all for the occasion, which included the Interrogation of the Pre-Novices, Presentation of Religious Habits, Bibles, Office Books, Constitutions and the Holy Cross Directory of Devotional Prayer. These articles in turn were blessed before their distribution by Fr. Bob Gilmour, C.S.C., District Chaplain.

All convened on the District House rooftop patio for the social event of further sharing of this special occasion, including food and beverages before returning to their respective homes.

Volume 1 - Issue 3 July — September 2013COMMUNICATING THE LIFE AND MISSION OF THE MEN AND WOMEN

OF HOLY CROSS IN THE DISTRICT OF WEST AFRICA

RECEPTION INTO THE NOVITIATE

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On the morning of 31 August 2013 the Holy Cross Family along with family and friends of Sr. Catherine Before, C.S.C., and Sr. Martina Dery, C.S.C., gathered at the Holy Cross Dis-trict Center, Brafoyaw-Cape Coast, Ghana to celebrate the perpetual profession of vows of Sisters Catherine and Martina. It was a day blessed by the Lord as Holy Cross, family and friends celebrated. Our District chaplain, Fr. Bob Gilmour, C.S.C., was the celebrant for the occasion.

There was singing accompanied by drumming and dancing of the usual well known hymns for this joyous occasion. However, both Sisters

Catherine and Martina are from the far northern region of Ghana, and many from the area traveled the great distance to be there. There is some difference in food, music and dialect in their Dagarti culture.

There were enough Dagarti persons in the choir from the local parish of Queen of Peace to provide with their drum and xylophone to play and sing some Degarti music. In the photo above, xylophone or marimba are used to enhance the celebration. Aided by varying size gourds suspended below the wooden slats/keys to give resonance, a very mellow sound is produced.

Sisters Catherine and Martina were individually asked what they are asking of God, the Church and the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. They responded, “I ask to consecrate myself more deeply to God through a vowed life of chastity, evangelical poverty and obedience in the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross all the days of my life.”

Sisters Martina and Catherine being asked by Sr. Geraldine Hoyler, CSC about their resolve to make this commitment for their whole life. All present then join in the singing of the Litany of All Saints as the two Sisters lie prostrate on the ground prior to professing their perpetual vows.

FINAL PROFESSION FOR TWO HOLY CROSS SISTERS

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FINAL PROFESSION FOR TWO HOLY CROSS SISTERScontinued

Sr. Catherine stands before the altar and pro-nounces her perpetual vows. Her vows were re-ceived by Sr. Gerladine Hoyler, C.S.C., General Treasurer of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. Sr. Martina follows in like manner in making her perpetual commitment to God as a Holy Cross Sister according to the Constitutions of the Congregation.

Time was then taken for the two perpetually pro-fessed religious to attest to their commitment in re-spectively signing copies of their vows.

All present at the celebration, friends, family and religious have the opporutnity to

congratulate the Sisters.

Our new perpetually professed Sisters with the celebrant, concelebrant and novice.

“The one aim of the glory of God and the salvation of souls inspires almost all the members and gives rise to a oneness of effort which tends toward that more perfect union of hearts which constitutes (the

congregation’s) bond and strength .... Union, then, is a powerful lever with which we could move, direct, and sanctify the whole world ....” (Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., Circular Letter 14)

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DOUBLE CELEBRATION FOR HOLY CROSS IN GHANA

The Holy Cross Family gathered together on Sunday 16th, 2013 at St. Bro. Andre in Brafoyaw to celebrate the Feast of our Holy

Cross Patroness, Lady of Sorrows. It was also the occasion, as well, to give recognition to honor Sr. Helene Sharpe, C.S.C., who now will have ended her ministry, which began some 15 years ago with the Sisters of the Holy Cross community here in Ghana. So the celebration of the special feast of our Lady had an additional contingent of friends present to give due recognition in farewell to Sr. Helene.

After her arrival in Ghana in 1998 Sr. Helene undertook the challenging task of supervising the construction for the Sisters’ residence at Nyame Adom in their newly established District Center, designed to accommodate the pre-novice formation program for present needs. In similar manner she supervised the construction of the new Holy Cross School

Bro. Vincent and St. Mary’s College Lay Volun-teers for the Holy Cross Sisters. Left to right: Ju-

lie Novak, Liz Little and Monica Murphy

This is the day the Lord has made!

at the east end of the large Center compound after a few years in which the Sisters had taught small basic/elementary school using empty rooms in their residence. The school was established, such that one new grade of classes is added each school year until a Junior High School is fully established with grades K– 9.

Sr. Helene presents the word of the Lord

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DOUBLE CELEBRATION FOR HOLY CROSS IN GHANAcontinued

It is now at the 5th grade level with Sr. Esther Ntsiwah, C.S.C., as headmistress. Sr. Helene had been steward of their Ghana community the past several years prior to her departure.

Our District is especially grateful for Sr. Helene’s contribution in a number of ways, most notable were her courses in psychological development to our novices over the past half-dozen years, as well as being chosen Moderator for two of our District Chapters of which she proved herself most capable, indeed.

We in the District give our sincerest prayers for God’s blessings on Sr. Helene in her new ministry in the United States!

Bro. Patrick Baah, C.S.C., giving farewell gifts to Sr. Helene from District Members

Bidding farewell to our dear sister in Holy Cross

Our Holy Cross District family sans Fr. Bob, photographer

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In a recent issue of the District newsletter there was an article concerning a serious water shortage at St. Augustine’s College. For water needs the Brothers had to go some 5 miles to the District Center to fill up large containers of water from the huge reservoir/cistern there. This was hauled back to their house on the District’s pickup truck, and then up a stairway of 28 steps to their second floor residence.

Now there has been placed on the rooftop 3 new 2000 liter polyethylene tanks (“polytanks”). With the 1000 liter tank already there, there now is a 7000 liter water capacity, which will provide water for several days, usually more than

sufficient for outages usually of less than a day or two for the 5 Brothers living here.

It is truly providential that Bro. Maxwell Kyeremeh, C.S.C., above and to the right, is a master plumber currently living with us, while he attends UCC Polytech to complete studies in two years that will qualify him to teach in our own Holy Cross Vocational School or elsewhere. Maxwell has completed the installation of all four tanks with necessary fixtures for automatic control for water flow adjusting to regular times when the Brothers benefit from normal water supply from the city reservoir.

RESOLVING WATER PROGRAMS AT ST. AUGUSTINE’S

NEW PRODUCTION UNIT AT HOLY CROSS SKILLS CENTERThe last District Chapter strongly recommended that the Pro-duction Unit become a growing priority as soon as possible as a source of income to the District. This new facility is situated on the compound of the Holy Cross Skills Training Center and Home of Hope residence in Anaji near Takoradi. It is a production unit that is envisioned as a means of assisting in a significant way to the financial income of the Holy Cross District of West Africa, still striving to become self-sufficient insofar as possible.

The production unit is in a separate building equipped with ma-chinery and tools for woodworking, which will be used to make a variety of furniture items, such as tables, chairs, beds, desks, and other wood products. The production unit got underway in September 2012 with Brother Stephen Arthur, C.S.C., as the di-

rector of the new venture. Bro. Stephen’s organizational skills and expertise in woodworking has made him the logical choice with his vocational background and proven capabilities. Bro. Stephen has also contracted outside projects wherein the workers move to a jobsite to do the work requested.

Brother Stephen Arthur, C.S.C.

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Our mission sends us across borders of every sort. Often

we must make ourselves at home among more than one

people or culture, reminding us again that the further

we go in giving the more we stand to receive.

Constitutions of the Congregation Holy Cross, Mission:17

SUNYANI DIOCESE BIDS FAREWELL TO BROTHER KEN GOODE, C.S.C.

In latter July a farewell Mass was held at Christ the King Cathedral in Sunyani for Bro. Ken Goode, C.S.C. He was the Holy Cross Brother of our District to establish a Brothers’ Scholasticate in 2007 in Su-nyani so that our Brothers in the future could pursue their higher education at the newly opened Catholic University in that city. This would enable the scholastics to live all together in a religious commu-nity having a shared educational ministry with a more common house schedule, etc. The first residence occupied by Ken and 2 scholastics was in a small apartment building. The number of scholastics gradu-ally increased to warrant a move into a larger interim residence and eventually into a permanent two-story residence on some 6 acres of land.

Bro. Ken’s major ministry was as Director of Vocations for the District throughout these past 6 years, and his seeming untiring efforts, encouraging a “vocation recruiting sensitivity” in District members, helped in no small way in recruiting new members to Holy Cross Bro. Ken also was the Sunyani Diocesan Youth Chaplain during this time. In a homily, Fr. William Kyere, Cathedral Administrator, commended Bro. Ken for his dedicated services to the Diocese, especially to the youth and the Summer School Program. He said, “the youth apostolate was very dear to Bro. Goode’s heart and his example to the youth.”

Bro. Ken expressed his deep thanks to all for their kind remarks of him on this farewell occasion and for their support and cooperation, and urged young people to learn more about the Catholic faith. Conclud-ing the occasion, Bro. Ken was given a citation.

He is now enrolled in the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi pursuing a MBA degree.

Brother Ken Goode, C.S.C.

Holy Cross Today - Ghana is the quarterly newsletter

published by the Broth-ers of Holy Cross living in the District of West Africa. The District belongs to the

Midwest Province of Brother of the Congregation of Holy

Cross. Use the QR code to access the District’s website

News BriefsLIVING IN COMMUNITY: From

July 4th to August 2nd our 13 novices at the halfway mark for their year of formation in St. Andre Novitiate were assigned to various Holy Cross com-munities for a “Living in Community” experience. The latter has been ap-proved, which superimposed the normal canonical requirement that the novi-tiate year must be lived in the approved novitiate in consecutive days. However, this living in community experience now has been included with an aim to make this formation period more relevant toward the novice acquiring a better understanding of his future religious life as a professed member in Holy Cross. Besides their life shared with members in community they had a given ministry related to a local parish or school, work-ing with youths, mostly in teaching.

With the return of the 13 “senior” novices to the novitiate combined with the 5 “junior” novices, who had entered a month earlier to be-gin their novitiate year, there are now 18 novices at St. Andre Novitiate.

Bro. Kenneth Kudantani, C.S.C. has begun his new ministry at the Catholic Se-nior High School in the Sunyani district. A former separate technical institution has been combined with the existing school, and the Bishop in the Sunyani Diocese had requested Bro. Ken to be Headmas-ter. Bro. Ken has past experience at Holy Cross Skills Institute and is equipped to make the combined technical and aca-demic programs more functional.

District of West AfricaHoly Cross District Center - Brafuyaw

P.O. Box AD 183Cape Coast, GHANA

Bro. Tom Dillman, C.S.C., Editortom.dillman@yahoo.com

United States Mission PromoterBro. Raymond Papenfuss, C.S.C.

Midwest Province of BrothersP.O. Box 460

Notre Dame, IN 46556rpapenfuss@brothersofholycross.com

574.631.0998

Bro. Paul Mensah, C.S.C., has termi-nated his ministry of 5 years at the Insti-tute of Continuing Formation in Elmina. He is now Director at the Scholasticate in Sunyani and also Director of our Tempo-rarily Professed Brothers.

Bro. Augustus Mensah, C.S.C., has been appointed as Director of Vocations for the District in addition to teaching in a local government high school. The present enthusiasm among our Ghana-ians, especially the temporarily professed, helps promote District Vocations alleviat-ing the need for a full-time Director, al-lowing Bro. Mensah to have salaried em-ployment which is a great need.

From 13th-17th August the District held its annual retreat at the District Center. Rev. Fr. Alfons Amanor, S.V.D., also a clinical psychologist wove into his presentations many practical stories/ex-amples as gained through this ministry, which pointed more clearly to the subject being discussed.

Find us On-line!

The following quick-read code will take you to the website for the district of the Midwest Province of Brothers, of the Congre-

gation of Holy Cross. The district covers the region

of Ghana, West Africa.