Jude Abanseka with inputs from
Richard Nde Lajong
History has been
recently created within the ranks of the Catholic Men Association CMA, as for
the first time, more than one hundred men of varying ages took up the challenge
to pioneer the first ever CMA branch in the Diocese of Bafang.
This happened Sunday August 11, 2019 during Holy Mass to conclude a three-day National Enlarged Executive
meeting that kicked off in Dschang in the diocese of Bafoussam and culminated
in Holy Mass in the Cathedral of the diocese of Bafang.
It was towards the
close of Holy Mass that the National President Okie Johnson Ndoh had the
opportunity to address the congregation. Drawing inspiration from the homilist’s
sermon on faith, he admonished especially the men to overcome fear and complete
the Holy Family of Nazareth. He recalled his encounter with the Secretary
General of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, NECC, and
subsequently the Bishop of Bafang, Mgr. Abraham Kome who both expressed the
wish for the CMA to be introduced in the diocese. It was against this backdrop
that the CMA decided to hold its meeting in Dschang and conclude with the Mass
in Bafang, the national president explained. Okie Johnson Ndoh at this point challenged
the women in church to encourage their husbands to belong to the CMA and
complete the Holy Family of Nazareth which is made up of Jesus, Mary and
Joseph. In response to his call, over 100 men came out as pioneer aspirants in
the School of St. Joseph in the diocese of Bafang. All the CMA Chaplains present
at Mass blessed the new aspirants. Okie Johnson Ndoh then encouraged them to
stand by their faith and be counted amongst the pioneer members of the CMA in
the diocese of Bafang.
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| CMA members, their Chaplains and statue handed to the Canthedral in Bafang |
Another important
aspect of the day’s was the handing over of various gifts the CMA had prepared
for diocese in general and to the cathedral parish in particular. Firstly they
gave encouragement gifts to the CMA which constituted a giant statue of St.
Joseph and a sewn uniform of the CMA each to the Bishop, the SG of NECC and the
Canon of the cathedral. Also as their own way of encouraging education, the CMA
offered some cartons of books and other school materials to the Bishop to hand
them to Internally Displaced Persons IDPs who attend schools in Bafang. Other
items also donated included, cartons of washing soap, bags of rice among others
to the IDPs.
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| Handover of gifts to Bishop Abraham Kome |
The Canon of the
Cathedral in Bafang, Rev. Fr. Sylvestre was the main celebrant. Other
concelebrants included Diocesan and National Chaplains of the CMA. Bishop Abraham Kome who joined the CMA
members after mass was happy that the association has been born in his diocese.
He promised to make sure that the association is fully implanted in all parts
of his diocese.
While, in Dschang
where the CMA members had met for two days Friday August 9 and Saturday 10, 2019 under the chairmanship of the
National President Okie Johnson Ndoh, deliberations were centered on the theme;
“Saint Joseph: responsible husband and father. You shall be my witnesses … to
the ends of the earth”. (Acts 1:8). The national president in his address to
delegates said they shall be evaluating some activities of the CMA, look into
the spirituality of the association and resolve on the way forward. The
president said the CMA for the past year has been growing in leaps and bounds
and have set the pace for peace in Cameroon through a novena they organized in
2018. He enjoined the “Men of Honour” to continue with the prayer for peace at
all levels of the family, and in the CMA.
The CMA National
Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Kizito Forbi in a discourse on the theme admonished all CMA
members to be of exemplary character in their families and emulate the virtues
of St. Joseph. It was also an opportunity for the various Diocesan delegates to
present the reports of their activities ahead of the next meeting billed for
the Archdiocese of Bertoua in November. The chaplains on their part will also
meet in November in the Diocese of Nkongsamba.
Among some of the
resolutions adopted at the end of the meeting, the CMA Cameroon resolved to
stand by the bishops in their advocacy for schools to resume in the North West
and South West regions who have been affected by the Anglophone crisis.
According to Okie Johnson, education is the best gift any parent can give a
child.
The Dschang
meeting also had as one of the high points, the installation of a committee
that will henceforth oversee the ongoing erection of the CMA National
Secretariat in the Diocese of Buea. The committee was charged with a proper
follow up of the project. Another committee was also set up to fine-tune the
electoral code of the CMA and was given three months to produce the code under
the coordination of the Vice President, Julius Awah Ndikum.
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