Father Campbell and Dr. Bawumia at the Jubilee House
The Parish Priest of Christ the King Catholic Church, Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, has heaped praises on Vice President Bawumia for what he described as his “kindness and acts of benevolence.”
Speaking at the Jubilee House last Friday, where an Iftar (breaking of Ramadan fast) was held in honour of the National Chief Imam, who turned 102, he described the benevolent support his Christ the King Soup Kitchen and Lepers Aid has been receiving from the Vice President in aid of the poor as “an honour and a privilege,” considering their different religions.
Father Campbell is the organiser of the annual Christ the King Soup Kitchen, a charitable programme which feeds lepers and street children.
Dr. Bawumia has been one of the biggest donors to the programme.
“How beautiful it was in Christmas when the Vice President gave me a present of 2,000 bags of rice to be distributed to the poor and needy.
“2,000 bags of rice; I was able to distribute to all the lepers all over the country, street children in Accra and Kumasi and many other institutions. About 51 needy institutions in this country, I gave them their Christmas gift of rice from the Vice President,” Father Campbell revealed.
He was fascinated by what he described as a beautiful partnership between a priest and a Muslim, who is also the Vice President of the Republic, to aid a Christian initiative for the poor.
“And it is so beautiful; a Catholic Priest and a Muslim Vice President. What an honour! What a privilege!
“I thank His Excellency so much. He has taught me a lot and I am so grateful,” he added.
Father Campbell equally had some kind words for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, who he said has given him a deeper perspective of how Christians and Muslims could peacefully co-exist.
He recounted what he described as an unforgettable experience of the Chief Imam visiting the Christ the King Church in 2019 to mark his 100th birthday.
“I always remember two years ago when the Chief Imam came to Christ the King Catholic Church. We prayed together and thanked God for the gift of his life for a 100 years.
“A day that was a historic visit and I was very privileged to be the priest overseeing the mass that particular day. That’s one of the highlights of my stay here in Ghana when the Chief Imam came to visit me on his 100th birthday. It got me thinking about the similarities between the Catholic Church and Muslims,” he recalled.
Father Campbell therefore maintained that Muslims and Christians have many things in common and thus urged followers of the two major religions in Ghana to unite and do more for humanity.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent