The Catholic Diocese of Ho, Sunday held its 2023 end-of-year Diocesan pilgrimage at the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Kpando Agbenoxoe.
The annual event also saw fundraising for a retreatants’ residence and the inauguration of a nine-member Grotto Development Committee.
Most Reverend Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, Bishop of Ho Diocese in a Homily, said mankind through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, inherited original sin at birth.
“At our conception, we are born into original sin, and we must be cleansed of this sin. This cleansing comes in Jesus Christ who by His death on the cross and by this great sacrifice that he made, on our behalf, washes us clean of our original sin and other things in our lives”.
He said Mary was conceived without original sin because God was preparing her to be the mother of God, Jesus Christ.
Bishop Fianu said Mary’s docility and submissiveness to the word, voice and command of God was a model for all pilgrims.
“How obedient are we to the voice of God in our lives, that gentle voice that calls us to attention and urges us to take the narrow and right path?
Bishop admonished the pilgrims to be filled with the spirit of docility, open their ears to God’s voice and walk in the path “our Mother Mary, so that we can be through sons and daughters of God who calls us to new life in Jesus Christ.”
The Grotto became charged with shouts of prayer and joy when the pilgrims experienced a Marian apparition.
The apparition is a reported supernatural appearance by Mary the mother of Jesus, or a series of related such appearances during a period.
Mr Kafui Azasu, Chairman, Grotto Development Committee, said the focus of the 2023 pilgrimage was to raise funds to build a retreatants residence.
He said the residence would be a 12 room at a serene environment of the Grotto at an estimated cost of GH¢840,000.
Mr Azasu said there had already been support from benevolent individuals while hoping that others, including organisations and groups would also come on board to support the project.
He said the aim was to build at least four of the units to enable retreatants had places to reside by next year.
Mr Azasu said other projects to be undertaken were to keep the Grotto neat by engaging permanent workers who would be taking care of all properties as well as serve as tourist guide to pilgrims.
He said there was also the need to facelift the Grotto by repainting.
Mr Azasu said the support being received towards the project so far had been commendable, adding that the Youth Council had been instrumental.
