REPORTS ON THE TEMPORARY PROFESSED WEEKEND SESSION, HELD FROM 14^TH-15^TH MAY, 2021 IN ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY UNDER THE THEME, “IMPROVING UPON THE QUALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY LIFE: THE ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL TEMPORARY PROFESSED BROTHER.”

In the evening of Friday, 14^th May, 2021, the temporary professed brothers of FIC Ghana Province, converged in St. Louis Community conference hall to have the opening of their weekend session. The young brothers were warmly welcomed by their new coordinator, Br. Alpitio Kog. The coordinator expressed that it was a delight to accompany the young professed brothers. Going forward, he solicited their cooperation and support. It is heartwarming to indicate that the session recorded a hundred percent turnout: all the seven temporary professed brothers in the province namely; Brothers Linus Delle, Elijah Abugri, Jonas Porekuu, Edmond Mopuuru, Callistus Yengdem, Michael Besigrinee and Prosper Ganye took part in the session. The following morning, the coordinator set the mood for the rest of the day’s activities with a beautiful prayer service theme. The prayer service was immediately followed by the Provincial Superior’s (Br. Seregeous Dery) opening remarks. He enumerated the significance of the TPBs weekend sessions and admonished the young brothers to maximize the benefits of the encounter.

Thereafter, our first speaker (Sr. Juliana Lamisi Akayeti of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate-SMI) took her turn to speak on the above topic. She begun by indicating that our decision to choose the religious life over the other equally juicy options that were available to us must be justified. She then quickly added that the daily strive to justify our decision is down to the individual young brother. In our attempt to do so, she continued, we should not rely on our human strength, instead we should always invoke the strength and power of the Holy Spirit through prayer. Having adequately dealt with the topic, she concluded by exhorting us to look up to Jesus as our only model.

Then came Mr. Chandi Abatanie Emmanuel, the second speaker. His topic was: “Vocations in the Church with special emphasis on marriage.” He begun by emphasizing that we chose religious life ahead of marriage to be available to serve God’s people. In this regard, the concept of total availability must be taken seriously. He further indicated that marriage must be seen as a union of equals where couples vow to take good care of each other in good and bad times. He also took us through the practical daily routine of what is entailed in married life. In a nutshell, the two speakers did justice to the topics that were given to them.

Later that day the young brothers met to share on Msgr. Louis Rutten’s letter that was addressed to them individually on how each one of them was building on the foundation that had already been laid by our founder.

In conclusion, it was an enriching encounter and the young brothers went back to their respective communities with a renewed sense of zeal and enthusiasm to live the life.

By Br. Prosper Ganye, FIC