On this joyful occasion I bring you greetings from Ghana, the land of Gold and from every sister of JMJ in the Ghana Region. We are pleased to join you in giving praise and thanks to our Heavenly Father, for the many graces and blessings he has bestowed on our Society of Jesus Mary Joseph during the past two hundred years. It is with great delight and pride that we the family of JMJ all over the world inaugurate the Solemnity of the Bicentennial celebration. So much has happened over these two hundred years and there has been so much growth and development, far beyond what our early ‘pioneers’ could have thought of or even imagined. But they did the VISION and, by the grace of God and mysterious working of the Divine Providence, we are enjoying the fruits of their labours. For this we are eternally grateful and give sincere THANKS to God.

As we celebrate this momentous event, the opening of the Bicentenary celebrations of foundation of our Society, it is an occasion for us not only to erupt in joy and thanksgiving but to recall the history and evaluate the development of the Society, especially in terms of experience of our communities and persons with a view, to transform our lives and engage in our mission, in true spirit of our Founder’s charism.

The words of Christ: “Go sell all that you have and come follow me” (Mt 19:21), have inspired all of us to say ‘yes’ to his Invitation, through the Society of JMJ. The Charism of our Founder Fr. Mathias Wolff, an “Ever Adaptable Apostolic Availability” on which he founded the Society is the precious jewel that mirrors his broader vision. The bicentennial should help us to look at our history with gratitude, reverence the present and move into the future with hope, confident that God is with us always. Our ability to understand our failures and real commitment for immediate transformation should be the fruit of this great celebration today. It is the perfect time; let us introspect ourselves, renew our zeal for prayer and mission and rededicate ourselves once again so that God performs wonders through us in our ministries. Success is a journey not destination.

Let us with and pray that every sister of JMJ ignited by the spirit of our founder Rev. Fr. Mathias Wolff in tis fullness, pass on the baton to the future generation with great love to bear fruits in plenty so that our Founder rejoices. Let me wish all of you great success. May God bless and accompany us in our journey to reach our goal.

Thank you.