by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In the small town of Nandom in the northwestern corner of Ghana, the Catholic faith is blooming.
“We have produced so many bishops, hundreds of priests, religious Sisters and Brothers,” said Father Lazarus Langbiir, C.S.Sp.
“And we have a very large group of [lay] Catholics also,” he added.
Catholics from Nandom, who are part of the Dagara tribe and now living across the United States, shared their faith with the Kansas City, Kansas, community as they gathered for an African Mass at Christ the King Church on Aug. 4.
It was the group’s fifth Mass together and the first celebrated by a bishop.
The main celebrant and homilist was Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.
Concelebrants were Father Mark Opoku Acheampong; Father Nick Blaha, pastor of Christ the King; Father Lazarus, chaplain of the Dagara tribe from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Father Beyuo Kuukole, chaplain of the African Catholic Community of Kansas; Father William Dun-Dery; and Father Maclean Aaku. (Father Kuukole provides sacramental assistance at Christ the King, Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady & St. Rose parishes, all in Kansas City, Kansas.)
Deacon Will Carey was the master of ceremonies. Deacon Mike Denning served as deacon of the Word.
Also in attendance were members of the ACCK.
Packed with tradition
The Dagara tribe has gathered in-person nearly every year since 2018 for a special Mass as a reminder of the history of the Catholic Church in Ghana, said Father Lazarus.
They dress in traditional, colorful clothing and sing along with a Ghanaian drum and xylophone.
The liturgy includes moments that symbolize the evangelization of the Ghanaian people, like when members of the congregation prepare the way of the Gospel by sweeping the center aisle.
“Others will come symbolically and clear the way by sword, how the missionaries had to sacrifice a lot before we received the Gospel,” said Father Kuukole.
The offertory is another symbolic part of the liturgy.
“Back at home, [the] majority of people bring whatever they harvest from their farm, and it is part of the procession to present,” said Father Kuukole. “Out here, they miss that part of the Mass.”
The Dagara tribe wants to stay connected to its culture, said Father Lazarus.
“And second of all, we are Catholic,” he continued. “We belong to a universal church.
“We’ve met people here who also celebrate the liturgy in a unique way. We want to give them the opportunity to get to know about the way we celebrate back home.”
Father Kuukole said many Catholics who emigrate from Africa to the United States struggle to continue practicing their faith.
“Having us here as priests, we provide some form of encouragement and spiritual guidance to them,” he said.
Father Kuukole was eager to bring together the Dagara tribe and the ACCK members, who are from multiple countries, including Cameroon, Congo, Kenya and Nigeria.
They typically meet monthly at Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe.
“The group in Kansas City is very much diverse,” said Father Kuukole. “You have different countries, different languages, different lifestyles [represented].
“The common ground that we actually meet, and we understand the same language, is when we meet to pray, when we sing to worship God, when we meet to celebrate the Eucharist.”
During his homily, Archbishop Naumann applauded the faith the African community has in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
“My friends, may we never become accustomed to this miracle in which we participate,” he said. “May we have the enthusiasm for this Blessed Sacrament that we see in our African brothers and sisters.
“May we never grow numb to the miracle of the Eucharist.”
The archbishop emphasized the strong faith of the Nandom community, which produced two late cardinals: Cardinal Kuuia Baawobr and Cardinal Peter Dery, whose cause for canonization is currently underway.
He also expressed his gratitude to the priests from Africa who are serving in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.
“I was indebted to Africa and to Ghana because they sent priests that help us here,” he said.
The archbishop encouraged the African people and all those gathered for the Mass at Christ the King to never lose faith.
“Our Lord will show up today,” he said. “He will be truly present for us. Will we be present to him?”
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