The South East Region, Central Region and Southern Region of the Noble Order of the Knights and Ladies of Marshal played host to an 8-member delegation from the Supreme Council and the Grand Court of the Noble Order from April 26 – May 10, 2016. The Supreme Council delegation of 5 members was led by the Supreme Knight, Sir Kt. Bro. Ernest Amoako-Arhen; while the Grand Court delegation of 4 members was led by the Grand Lady, MRL Sis. Alice Stella Ayebi during their two weeks visit to Liberia. Other members of the delegation included W/Bro. Ambrose Yennah, Deputy Supreme Knight; W/Bro. Joseph D. Erskine, Supreme Secretary; W/Bro Charles Cobb, Supreme Propagandist; and Sir Kt. Bro. Rev. Fr. Joseph Ekow Baidoo, Asst. Supreme Chaplain who joined the delegation in Gbarnga. MRL Sis. Margaret Gaisie-Esselfie, Past Grand Lady; MRL Sis. Victoria Yellu, Past Grand Lady; and RL Sis. Mary Appiah-Kubi, Grand Secretary.
The Supreme Council and Grand Court Officers, believed to be the widest traveled Supreme Council and Grand Court delegation in Liberia since the consecration of the Noble Order in the country, arrived on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at the Roberts International Airport. After a night’s stay in Monrovia, they set out for Harper City, Maryland County in the Southeastern part of Liberia where they held meetings with Officers of the South East Regional Council and Court; paid a courtesy call on His Lordship, Most Reverend Andrew – Karnley, Bishop of the Cape Palmas Diocese; participated in the Regional Conference and Regional Council and Court Meetings; consecrated Council 123 and Court — , Zwedru and installed a new corps of officers for the South East Regional Council and Court.
The Regional Conference of the South East Regional Council and Court concluded with a Thanksgiving Mass and the official celebration of the Feast of Sir James Marshall on Sunday, May 1, 2016; after which Mass the Supreme Knight and Grand Lady and their delegation deposited a wreathe on the grave of the late Bishop Boniface Nyema Dalieh, first Bishop of the Diocese of Cape Palmas and during whose tenure the initial Councils and Courts were consecrated in the Diocese. The thanksgiving mass coincided with the celebration of the Fifth Episcopacy of His Lordship, Most Reverend Andrew – Karnley, Bishop of Cape Palmas who served as Chief Celebrant at the mass. A parade through the principal streets of Harper followed after the mass and the day ended with refreshment graced by the presence of Bishop Andrew – Karnley.
The Delegation then travelled to Gbarnga City, Bong County in the central region of Liberia where they spent seven days from May 2 – 8, 2016. Whilst in Gbarnga, where about 300 Brothers and Sisters of the Central and Southern Regional Councils and Courts congregated for their Joint Regional Conference, the Supreme Council and Grand Court delegation – along with Officers of the Central and Southern Regions – paid a courtesy call on His Lordship, Most Reverend Anthony Fallah Borwah, Bishop of the Diocese of Gbarnga in the morning of Thursday, May 5, 2016. Later on in the day, the delegation met with Officers of the Central Regional Council. On Friday, May 6, 2016, the delegation met with Officers of the Southern Regional Council and Court.
During the meeting with Officers of the Central and Southern Regional Councils and Courts, the Supreme Council and Grand Court Officers were acquainted with the current state of affairs obtaining in the two Regions focusing on successes, problems and plans to move the Region forward. With full understanding of issues pertaining to the Central Regional, the delegation ably resolved potential disharmonies, advised on ways to move the Order forward and enhance the attractiveness of the Order in Liberia; the delegation also updated Officers of the Region on changes in the Order, especially in rituals and other procedures since the last visit of the Supreme Council and Grand Court in Liberia about four years ago.
At the end of these meetings, officers who participated in the meetings termed the meetings as very rewarding and regarded them as necessary prerequisites to the Joint Regional Council and Court meetings in which elections were conducted.
Earlier in the morning of Friday, May 6, 2016 a reflection was led by Bro. Rev. Fr. Francis Johnson who urged Marshallans to be true soldiers of the Catholic Church and desist from any act that will undermine the sanctity of the Church. He urged the participants to support and defend their priests in their respective parishes and at no time should they be seen as sowing seeds of discord.
The Joint Regional Conference of the Central and Southern Regional Councils and Courts convened on Saturday, May 7, 2016 in the Holy Spirit Cathedral, and followed by the Regional Councils and Courts Meetings in the afternoon when elections and installation of new corps of officers for the two regions were conducted.
On an event-packed Saturday, May 7, 2016, Sir Kt. Bro. Rev. Fr. Joseph Ekow Baidoo, Asst. Supreme Chaplain, opened the Conference with a very powerful homily in the day’s opening Mass. Speaking on “mercy” in line with the theme of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Sir Kt. Bro. Rev. Fr. Baidoo recounted the three stories of mercy in Luke Gospel, namely the story about leaving the 99 sheep and going to find the one that was lost (Lk 15:4-7); the widow who lighted a lamp to find her one lost coin (Lk 15:8-10); and the famous prodigal son which he prefers to call the merciful father (Lk 15:11-31). He admonished Brothers and Sisters that the best way to grow spiritually and as an Order is to be merciful, tolerant of each other, and letting go of all unpleasant and bad experiences in the past. He asserted that this was particularly important for the Order in Liberia as a whole and for the two Regions in particular, given that the latter part of the day would see Brothers and Sisters in Council and Court meetings conducting elections.
Later, the plenary session featured two knowledge-filled and soul-inspiring presentations by the Grand Lady and the Supreme Knight. Taking her turn first, MRL Sis Alice Stella Ayebi carefully translated the evangelization mission of the Church into the Marshallan context; pivoting it on humility, charity, passion for justice, fraternity, love and service, spirituality, discipline and social work. She urged Brothers and Sisters to be active agents in the re-evangelization works of the Church.
For his part, the Supreme Knight, Sir Kt. Bro. Ernest Amoako-Arhen urged Marshallans to proclaim the truth without violence, be religious tolerant, care for mankind, dream big and read the Bible. He added that like His Holiness Pope Francis, Marshallans should not judge others. He sent the whole hall wide with shout of joy when he declared that the Supreme Council and Grand Court have planned to grant Liberia a State Council and Court status next year on condition of total peace, unity and improved organization among brothers and sisters in the country.
At about 3:30 pm on Saturday, brothers and sisters went separate ways to attend the Regional Council and Court meetings; respectively, where elections and installations were successfully held, marking the end of day.
The Regional Conference was also attended by some Marshallans of eminence in Liberia including W/Bro. Justice Francis S. Korkpor, Sr., PRGK, Chief Justice of the Republic of Liberia and W/Bro. Armah Zolu Jallah who was elevated to the rank of HPRGK, President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate.
The Joint Regional Conference closed on Sunday, May 8, 2016 with a Thanksgiving Mass and the official celebration of the Feast of Sir James Marshall by the two Regions. Serving as the Chief Celebrant for the Bishop of the Diocese of Gbarnga was Rev. Fr. Charles Gono with Sir Kt. Bro. Rev. Fr. Joseph Ekow Baidoo and Bro. Rev. Fr. Francis Johnson as con-celebrants. He thanked the Marshallans for choosing to come to the Diocese of Gbarnga for the Joint Regional Conference and cautioned them to continue their good work for the Church.
The Supreme Knight supported by the Grand Lady gave the Sir James Marshall Day Address in which he described Liberians as determined people who seem ready to put the bad experiences of war and EBOLA behind them and rebuild their lives. He also challenged the many young parishioners of the Holy Spirit Cathedral to join the Order and become soldiers for Christ.
The newly elected and installed Regional Officers of both the Central and Southern Regional Councils and Courts led by the Regional Grand Knight for Central Regional Council, W/Bro. Moses Yealue and the Regional Noble Lady, Central Regional Court, RL Sis. Cynthia Yarwoah; the Regional Grand Knight of Southern Regional Council, W/Bro. Timothy B. Grandoe and the Regional Noble Lady, Southern Regional Court, RL Sis. Ethel T. O. Nyankoon were introduced and presented to the Church during the Mass.
After Mass, Officers of both Regions led by the Supreme Knight, Grand Lady and their delegation deposited a wreathe on the grave of the late Bishop Benedict Dortu Sekey, first Bishop of the Diocese of Gbarnga and during whose tenure the initial Councils and Courts were consecrated in the Diocese.
The Joint Regional Conference was climaxed by a parade through the principal streets of Gbargna and refreshment after the mass; the Brothers and Sisters of the Southern Region headed for Monrovia along with the Delegation shortly thereafter.
The Supreme Council and Grand Court Officers stayed in Monrovia until their departure for Ghana on Tuesday, May 10, 2016. Whilst in Monrovia, they paid a courtesy call on the Metropolitan Archbishop of Monrovia, His Grace Lewis Jerome Ziegler at the National Catholic Secretariat after which the Supreme Knight and Grand Lady deposited wreathes on the grave of the late Archbishop Emeritus, Michael K. Francis, Founding Patron of the Noble Order of Knights and Ladies of Marshall in Liberia; and on the grave/monument of Holy Martyrs Sisters of the Congregation of the Adorers of the Precious Blood who lost their lives during the Liberian Civil War.
Courtesy calls were also paid by the Supreme Council and Grand Court delegation on the Ghanaian Ambassador, His Excellency Kodjoa Wadee at the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana; and the Chief Justice of Liberia, W/Bro. Justice Francis S. Korkpor, Sr. who hosted the delegation and senior officers of the Central and Southern Regional Councils and Courts to a farewell dinner at his residence on Monday, May 9, 2016.
Submitted by
Bro. Henry F. Wilson
Regional Communication Officer