THE NOBLE ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS AND LADIES OF MARSHALL
2016 ACCRA WEST REGIONAL CONFERENCE
WELCOME ADDRESS BY RGK W/Bro. Peter K. Wireko
16 JULY 2016
Bro. Chairman, S/Kt. Bro. Charles Brew-Hammond, the Supreme Knight, who is himself the Supreme Council Rep. at this conference, accompanied by W/Bro. Constantine Kudedzi, Asst. Sup. Advocate, MRL Sis. Victoria Yellu, our 18th Grand Lady and the Grand Court Rep, also accompanied by RL Sis. Philomena Osei, Asst Grand Youth Coordinator Tertiary, the VG Very Rev. Fr. Francis Adoboli, our Brothers and Sisters from the Knights and Ladies Auxiliary of St John International, the Regional Grand Knights and Regional Noble Ladies and members from Accra East and Tema Regional Councils & Courts, officers and members of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall in the Accra West Region and all invited guests.
On my own personal behalf and on behalf of my counterpart the Regional Noble Lady, RL Sis. Doris A. Bramson, I welcome you all to our 2016 Regional Conference. By the close of this first day of our 2-day Conference a new Administration would have been installed to steer the affairs of Accra West Region for the next two years even though I might add the Regional Court would continue with the current Administration with minor changes.
The theme for our Conference is ‘MERCY, THE HEART BEAT OF THE GOSPEL AND THE MARSHALLAN’ and we will have our Guest Speaker talk to us on that. This theme is running alongside that of the 90th Anniversary of our Noble Order i.e. ‘The Marshallan and the New Evangelization for the transmission of the Faith’.
There is no doubt that during the tenure of office of the 3rd Administration, Grand Knights and Noble Ladies and indeed the membership have gone through a lot of financial hiccups which sometimes affect the growth of our membership. The Noble Order like any Society must run on good financial strength especially if we are to champion the cause of charity and support the activities of our own NGO, MAREDES and prove ourselves a faithful friend to the poor, the distressed and the needy in society. There are innovative ways of financially strengthening our Councils and Courts and the Supreme Secretary of Finance, W/Bro. Dr. Komla Deku will also talk to us on that this morning.
Our hard working Regional Secretaries, Bro. Henry Ashun and Sis. Barbara Dickens will this afternoon at our respective Regional Council and Court Meetings give us a full report on activities covering the period under review.
Unfortunately we did not see any expansion by way of new consecrations of Councils and Courts in the Region. However plans are complete for the consecration of a new Junior Order at SS. Peter and Paul, New Aplaku, 3 weeks from today, on the 6thof August. Plans are just about complete for the consecration of an Adult Council and Court at St. Charles Lwanga Parish, Abeka. The Marshallan Association at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Ngleshi Amanfrom are also getting themselves in readiness for an Adult Council and Court. That of the St. Paul’s Cathedral in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast has encountered a few problems with the Prefect of the Pontifical Mission for Societies in that Archdiocese and these are been resolved to make way for the consecration following the visit there by myself and the Supreme Propagandist, W/Bro. Charles Cobb. All these expansion programmes have already received the nod of the Supreme Council and the Grand Court.
Let me at this point acknowledge our Noble Ladies and Grand Knights and their various executives for the tremendous work they do in running our Councils and Courts. And we also congratulate Council 48, Mathaeko for consecutively winning the best Council Award globally for 3 years on the trot and retaining the trophy for keeps.
Finally let me recall with heavy heart the passing on of our 1st Regional Grand Knight, S/Kt. Bro. Peter Amonoo McCarthy and our 3rd Regional Noble Lady RL Sis. Afua Amoa Dua during the review period. May I kindly ask all to observe a minute’s silence in honour of our dearly departed.
May the souls of S/Kt Bro. P A M and RL Sis. A A D and the souls of members and the faithful departed through the endless mercy of the Lord rest in peace. Amen.
May I ask all participants of this Conference help us have fruitful deliberations with little or no distractions from our mobile phones or movements within this conference venue so we can all have a very successful session this morning.
The Regional Noble Lady and I, now declare the 2016 Accra West Regional Conference duly open. Thank you.