Father Joseph Gyim-Austin welcomed nine fellow African priests of the Saskatoon Roman Catholic Diocese to Sacred Heart Parish at Davidson last week to act as a support group for each other as they try to understand the troubles in their home countries and to reflect on their own work here in Saskatchewan.
“As much as we are here working your mind is always on your people,” said Gyim-Austin, a native of Ghana. “You want to be sure that whatever they are doing wouldn’t distract you from your work, but of course you still think about your relatives over there.”
Father Patrick Ampani, Father Aloysius Anyichie, Father Emmanuel Azike, Father Augustine Ebido, Father Iheanyi Enwerem, Father Ndubuisi Mbah, Father Modestus Ngwu, Monsignor Matthew Tuffuor-Amoah and Father Martin Vuni joined Gyim-Austin in Davidson last Monday and Tuesday. The 10-person group includes two Ghanaians, seven Nigerians and one native of South Sudan.
Gyim-Austin said each man briefed the others on the situation in their home country Monday evening after supper to help each of them think about what is occurring on the ground in the west central African coastal countries of Ghana and Nigeria and the east central landlocked country of South Sudan. He said this knowledge helps them to pray for peace in these countries.
A focus on relaxation was also high on the priest’s agenda, said Gyim-Austin, as last Monday did follow the hectic days of Easter celebrations at each priest’s Parish. He said the men used the evening’s downtime to discuss how they celebrated Easter as well as the work each of them does at the Diocese and how to help the Diocese to grow.
“On Tuesday morning…they all were there for mass,” said Gyim-Austin, adding each of the visiting priests was able to help him celebrate mass because they all had their stoles and albs with them in Davidson. “Then after mass we also went to the Hall for breakfast which was very good because going from the mass to the table also was part of getting to know the people and to know the community that I’m serving. They got some sense of the life here in the Parish and in the community.”
Gyim-Austin said the Easter Monday gathering was the second time the African priests were able to get together for a discussion on their homeland and their work in Canada. He said the group first got together last Christmas in Martensville through an invitation by the Saskatoon Diocese after it was learned the number of practising African priests in Saskatchewan is increasing.
“We realized we do not know (each other) even though we are from the same continent,” he said. “It’s a means to get in touch with priests within other parts of Africa, so that at least you (know someone) if you have to go and visit a friend who works here in the Diocese. It’s (then) to continue the friendship that we have already established.”
The next meeting is tentatively planned for this August at Manitou Beach, but the group would like to extend their membership to other African priests working in this province. Gyim-Austin said they are now working on trying to find new members of the group in areas such as the Archdiocese of Regina and the Diocese of Prince Albert.
“We are just trying to form the group,” he said. “We know there are a lot of other priests from other countries in Africa working in other places. It’s a gradual process to get in touch with them and then put our program before them.”