The Gardens Mission that has been under Holy Family Parish for over 40 years has been transformed into a new parish. The parish has been given the name, OUR LADY OF LOURDES. The transformation materialized thanks to Bishop of Buea Diocese, His Lordship Bishop Emmanuel Bushu on Friday, February 13.

The reading of the day was taken from Genesis 3; 1-8, St Paul 2; 6-11 and the Gospel according To Mark.

The Bishop started the sermon with the first reading which according to him, shows the fall of the first man due to his disobedience to God and told the Christian to always obey God. ‘Every evil comes to the world because we turn our backs and disobey God’ he said.

He continued to tell the congregation that, God’s love for his children is beyond any other thus, despite our sins, he continues to shower his blessings. ‘Even when we sin, God still blesses us’ he said.

As concern the second reading, the bishop emphasised on unity which Christians uphold as an important virtue. He also reminded Christians that, it is more important to serve than to be served. He emphasised on the fact that, Jesus died a shameful death in obedience to God and as such, Christians must copy from such example “Jesus obeyed God and he was lifted up so we as Christians, must follow his footsteps if we want to be lifted up”, he asserted.

Talking about the Gospel, the Bishop emphasised that, it shows the healing power of God but that Christians must not expect miracles if they do not trust and wait fervently on the lord. “Christians must trust God so that miracles will be manifested in their lives” he said and added that, Christians can go to church every day for years but if they do not trust God, their Christian life is meaningless. “Coming and sleeping in church is of no use if we do not trust God”. He advised.

During the second part of the ceremony, the bishop extended gratitude to all those who have worked endlessly and tirelessly to make Gardens Mission what it is today.

He sincerely thanked the Holy Family Parish for nurturing it and hoped that the new Parish be established to the Glory of God. The parish was immediately erected while the new parish priest Rev Francis Ncham renewed his vocational vows and was thereafter officially installed as the first parish priest of now OUR LADY OF LOURDES Parish.

Bishop Bushu advised the Christians to work in collaboration with their Parish Priest to enhance the growth of the parish. He insisted that, the parish priest must be available to his Christians, he must be the servant of God, and must be ready to preach the word which is his first responsibility. The ceremony was attended by a host of Priests and Rev Sisters.