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“It was really a good Sunday!”, somebody of St. Anthony’s parish declared… Early in the morning, while meeting the parishioners, Father General started by greeting them in French before realizing that we had changed linguistic zone. The Sunday Mass, which brought together nearly 800 faithful, was really a feast, with the joyous participation of all the parish groups. The Mass started at 9:15 and finished at 12:45. “I feel more important in Accra than in Rome… I did not feel the duration of the celebration… I did not tire myself…”, the distinguished host remarked! The Mass was presided by Fr. Matthew Cassidy, the parish priest. Father General gave the homily, based in the readings of the day. His calls on unity and regarding our faith doubts were followed with much interest.
 After the Mass, a group of 96 people, representing the various parochial groups, shared a solemn meal with Father General. In the evening, Father General went to greet the Archbishop of Accra, Monsignor Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle. He himself welcomed us, the employees being on Sunday leave, and for a long time spoke to us about the situation of the Church in Ghana.
Jean-Roger Ndombi, S.J.
The trip Accra - Cape Coast was made by road. To avoid the traffic jams, we left Accra rather early, on Monday morning, 20 April, and we arrived at Cape Coast at 9:30. The “AKWABA” welcome was cordial and always fraternal. Immediately after breakfast, we began the meeting with the Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar
(JESAM).
On Monday evening, after dinner, an informal meeting with all the Jesuits present in Cape Coast took place. Father General spoke about the objectives of the
Society after the GC 35 (goals).
 Tuesday morning, 21 April, while the JESAM meeting continued, Father General began the individual conversations with the Major Superiors. At midday, Father General made a courtesy call to Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast. He was accompanied by the ANW Provincial and by the local Superior of Cape Coast. Cardinal Turkson received Father General with an extraordinary simplicity, made him sit down on his “throne” and spoke with him about his diocese and the good collaboration with the Jesuits.
Wednesday evening, 22 April, the Jesuit community of Cape Coast offered a first class dinner to Father General and to JESAM, by inviting Cardinal Turkson, his auxiliary bishop, as well as about thirty guests, among whom clergy of Cape Coast and lay friends of the Jesuit community.
Thursday 23 April was an ordinary day in the context of the encounter of the Major
Superiors of Africa. The weather was always humid and warm. Father General was present to all the sessions and at 6:00 PM he presided at Mass with the Superiors
of JESAM.
On Friday 24 April in the morning, the members of JESAM had Mass with the religious communities and the lay faithful who live around our community, Claver House. After the Mass, Father General planted a tree close to the chapel of Claver House; then he went to pray at the tomb of scholastic Alexis Doghle, who joined the Society in August 2005 and died in December 2007 at 29 years of age.
At the end of breakfast, Father General congratulated the two young cooks for the excellent food that they had prepared during all our stay at Cape Coast. Provincials Michael Holman (BRI) and Nuno da Silva Gonçalves (POR) came from Europe for the gathering of the commissio mixta AFR-EUR.
The JESAM meeting ended at noon. And before leaving the place for the meeting of the commissio mixta AFR-EUR, we met at the Coconut Grove restaurant at the seaside to say goodbye. While the JESAM members went to visit the famous Castle of Elmina from where the slaves left for Europe or America, Father General, the Assistant for Africa, the provincial of North West Africa (ANW) and his delegate for formation made their way towards Accra.
We took nearly twice as much time as necessary for the Cape Coast - Accra travel
because it was a Friday afternoon and the traffic was heavy. Having left Cape Coast at 4:30 PM, we arrived in Accra at 9:00 PM quite tired.
Jean-Roger Ndombi, S.J.
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