“AKWAABA!” - “Welcome!” - was the cheer of the Catholic faith community of Techiman, Ghana to its newly consecrated and installed Bishop Dominic Yeboah Nyarko.

“Akwaaba!” was the greeting that Paul Moses and I received as we traveled throughout Ghana to attend the episcopal ordination of Bishop Nyarko, the first Bishop of Techiman.

Bishop Nyarko was a pastoral associate at St. Columba Church, Marine Park, our home parish, for the past four years, until his appointment as bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on Dec. 28.

During these four years, I had the opportunity to work with him and get to know him.

My trip to Techiman for his ordination and installation was a wonderful, inspiring journey that was vested with a message of the love and joy of St. Columba parishioners for their gentle, unassuming priest from Ghana.

Under the hot African sun on Saturday, March 29, the whole community of Techiman gathered in a school field, turned into an outdoor church, to witness the consecration of Bishop Nyarko by Peter Cardinal Turkson and co-consecrators Bishops Lucas Abadamloora and Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi.

The liturgy was attended by an estimated 10,000 people, 100 priests and every bishop of Ghana, except one. The ceremonies were the most exuberant religious event I have ever attended in my life. Conducted in three languages, English, Twi (the local language), and Latin, the rich symbols of our Church came alive to me in unexpected ways. It reflected the pomp and circumstance of the Roman rite and the cultural expression of the people of Ghana.

As we took our seats, there was an atmosphere of expectation and celebration. The opening procession was preceded by the entrance of the local community leaders, known as chiefs, who walked under huge colorful umbrellas.

Following the Book of the Gospels, carried by the deacon, came the priests and bishops, then Bishop-elect Nyarko and the consecrating bishops, each under a colorful umbrella. The gathered assembly responded with lively singing and traditional dancing to African rhythms and drums.

The most enduring memory for me was the moment when the community fell silent as Bishop-elect Nyarko lay prostrate on rich African soil in the bright sunlight. The cantor led us in the Litany of the Saints, calling us and the Church united, to pray for Bishop-elect Nyarko. Following this prayer came the laying on of hands by the cardinal, co-consecrating bishops and the other bishops who were present. Bishop Nyarko’s head was anointed with oil and he was presented with the Book of the Gospels, ring, miter, crosier, and cathedra (chair).

After the ordination was completed, the Liturgy of the Eucharist began with the offertory collection. This proved to be a very emotionally moving moment for me. Having traveled through Ghana, I saw that the people had little in the way of material possessions. They lived in small villages, housed in even smaller huts with tin or grass roofs. When the collection was taken up, bowls were placed on tables in front of the assembly. A lively brass band played and the people came forward, in an outbreak of joyful dancing to the music of a brass band, as they brought forward their donations. The sheer exuberance of the process was overwhelming.

After communion was distributed, various groups were escorted to greet the new bishop. The local chiefs came forward and presented the bishop with a stool, the chair that is the symbol of a chief. He was also presented with a bull and a goat, fitting gifts, I thought, for their new spiritual shepherd. Following the chiefs came the bishop’s family, his mother, brothers and other close family members. Next the delegation from St. Columba, Paul and I were invited to greet Bishop Nyarko. It was a joyful moment in a joy-filled day.

The liturgy ended five hours after the beginning of the entrance procession, yet the time passed without notice. It will take me some time to completely reflect on this experience, but I came away with a powerful sense of the movement of the Holy Spirit in the process. Our Church is growing and in ways I could not have imagined. We have much to learn from the African Church.