Father Joeker

By Fr Joseph Panabang SVD

JUST CALL ME MARY

Among our catechumens in Kintampo was old man. Asked what Christian name he wants, he said, “Mary.” Very politely I explained that Mary is for women but he insisted he that he likes the name very much. His classmates smiled indulgently. And why not? What more beautiful than Mary’s name for a man who has no gender hang-ups.

EVANGELIZING BOLO

Fr. Tim Fred, SVD, stopped at Kintampo on his way to Accra, the capital of Ghana. While enjoying his coffee, I just entered from the garden with my bolo newly sharpened. Surprised he asked, “What’s that?” “This is the newest latest tool for evangelization. A good mason must have a good tool and so with a missionary,” I said with tinge of pride. A veteran missionary himself Tim gave a smile of satisfaction and a nod of approval.

BLESS ME FATHER

Almost all our faithful here believe that if you are not touched by the Holy water you are not blessed. Once during asperges, I was sprinkling the people when a mother pointed to her daughter who was sleeping that she is not yet “blessed”. Dipping in full the sprinkler into the water, I sprinkled the girl who woke up jumping completely shocked and frightened. Poor girl, I shouldn’t have shaken up the sprinkler too much.

FAMILY TREE

While on homeleave, I visited one of my brothers and nicely hanging on the wall of his house is the homework of his daughter about our family tree. It was beautifully done, I must say, starting from our great grandparents to the present. Under the names of my brothers and sisters are the names of their children. Coming to my name, of course nothing was written. Knowing how people I our culture ridicule those with no children, I called to his daughter who wrote the family tree and said firmly, “under my name, either you write Priest or remove the whole thing.” Else they might think I am “basig” (in Kalinga culture means – one who is unable to have children). She did write Rev. Father and even added: Ordained 24th October 1984; Assigned as: Missionary to Ghana, West Africa.