Features
Unity, diversity and the African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland
• Monsignor Emeritus Teemu Sippo and other
priests during the mass service
Last Sunday, November 13, 2022, marked an important milestone in ecumenism when a Thanksgiving Holy Mass was celebrated by the African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland (ACCF) at the Kallio (Lutheran) Church in Helsinki.
Monsignor Emeritus, Teemu Sippo S. C. I., the Bishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Helsinki, was the main celebrant.
Ghanaians in their colourful kente cloth
The mass service was conducted in the presence of Bishop Teemu Laajasalo, the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Helsinki, Fr. Marco Passinato, the Diocesan Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Helsinki, and the Rev. Reina Riikka, the Parish Priest of the Kallio Parish. Also present were other dignitaries, including Mayvor Wärn-Ranken, the Secretary General of the Finnish Ecumenical Council, Finland.
A powerful religious experience
It was a unique occasion that brought together faithful Catholic, Lutheran and other worshippers and as a way of showing appreciation to the Kallio Church for their generosity of allowing the African Chaplaincy to conduct its mass services every Sunday in the Church in Kallio, Helsinki.
The African Catholic Chaplaincy which has been growing, currently gathers in the Lutheran Church in Kallio for their Sunday mass services.
The event was, indeed, a well-attended religious occasion with unforgettable experience.
In their speeches, Monsignor Emeritus Teemu Sippo, Bishop Teemu Laajasalo, Fr. Marco Passinato, and Rev. Reina Riikka, all extolled unity among brethren. The Chaplain, Fr. Leonard Wobilla Shwei, who gave the homily, emphasised the importance of promoting unity in diversity.
Unity in diversity and colourful display of cultures
There was an impressive display of diverse cultures from different parts of Africa and elsewhere. The event was spiced by a rich cultural display of dances and colourful attires which were a delight to watch.
Members of the Ghanaian Catholic community,in their gay and colourful kente attire and with adowa dance and music, led the procession into the church. Other communities such as the Cameroonian, Nigerian, Kenyan and Tanzanian as well as South Sudanese groups also put up well-choreographed performances.
The African Catholic Chaplaincy in Finland
The African Chaplaincy was founded on June 4, 2017, which was a Pentecost Sunday, in a Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Monsignor Emeritus Sippo S.C.I., the then Bishop of Helsinki, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Parish Church in Helsinki.
The Chaplaincy was created by Bishop Sippo to fulfil the desire of the Diocese to give African immigrants in Finland the possibility to be at ease and freely worship in their everyday lives in Finland.
The Catholic Church in Finland has about 15,000 registered Catholics, half of whom are native Finns. The rest of the Faithful come from at least 100 different countries from all five Continents in the world.
In all, there are eight parishes in Finland, with two in the capital city, Helsinki (St. Mary’s and St. Henry’s). There are also dozens of priests working in Finland.
The formation of the Chaplaincy in 2017 was as a result of collaboration by then Bishop Sippo with the Diocesan body when they detected a great flocking of African immigrants to Finland, the majority of whom were Catholics, in order to give them a possibility to integrate into the Finnish society by worshipping as Catholics and in their African cultural identity.
The African Catholic Chaplaincy forms an important part of the Catholic Church in Finland and its Helsinki Diocese, which is the only Diocese covering the whole of Finland.
The African Chaplaincy as a structure of the Diocese is thus fully under the responsibility of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Helsinki.
After its formation, Monsignor Sippo officially handed the responsibility of the African Chaplaincy to the Chaplain, Reverend Father Leonard Wobilla Shwei, who is fully responsible on behalf of the Bishop and the Diocese for spiritual life and other activities of the Chaplaincy within the Catholic Church in Finland.
By Perpetual Crentsil#
Email: perpetualcrentsil@yahoo.com
Features
Preventing the brain’s melting point with BOS
The human brain is a complex and delicate organ, susceptible to damage from various factors, including extreme temperatures.
The brain’s melting point, also known as the temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade, is a critical concern for individuals seeking to maintain optimal cognitive function.
Fortunately, the Brain Operating System (BOS) offers a revolutionary solution to prevent the brain’s melting point.
Understanding the brain’s melting point
The brain’s melting point refers to the temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade, leading to irreversible damage.
This temperature threshold varies depending on individual factors, such as age, health, and environmental conditions. However, research suggests that the brain’s melting point is approximately 104°F (40°C) to 107°F (42°C).
The role of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point
BOS, a cutting-edge technology, plays a crucial role in preventing the brain’s melting point. By leveraging advanced neural interfaces and artificial intelligence, BOS monitors and regulates brain temperature, ensuring that it remains within a safe range.
How BOS prevents the brain’s melting point
BOS prevents the brain’s melting point through several mechanisms:
1. Temperature regulation: BOS continuously monitors brain temperature, adjusting neural activity to maintain a stable temperature.
2. Heat dissipation: BOS enhances heat dissipation through increased blood flow and sweating.
3. Neuro protection: BOS protects neurons from heat-induced damage.
Benefits of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point
The benefits of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point are numerous:
1. Prevents brain damage: BOS prevents brain damage caused by excessive heat.
2. Maintains cognitive function: BOS ensures optimal cognitive function by maintaining stable brain temperature.
3. Enhances brain resilience: BOS enhances brain resilience to temperature fluctuations.
Real-World applications of BOS
BOS has various real-world applications:
1. High-performance computing: BOS enables high-performance computing by maintaining optimal brain temperature.
2. Medical applications: BOS has medical applications, such as treating heat-related illnesses.
3. Space exploration: BOS is crucial for space exploration, where extreme temperatures pose a significant risk.
Conclusion
BOS is a revolutionary technology that prevents the brain’s melting point, ensuring optimal cognitive function and overall well-being. By leveraging advanced neural interfaces and artificial intelligence, BOS monitors and regulates brain temperature, protecting against heat-related damage.
Glossary:
1. BOS: Brain Operating System.
2. Brain’s melting point: Temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade.
3. Neural interface: Connects human brain with digital devices.
Contact Information
virginvtech@yahoo.com
Additional resources:
1. BOS research: Explore scientific studies.
2. Neural interface resources: Discover books and articles.
3. Brain-computer interface communities: Join online forums.
Future directions
As BOS technology continues to evolve, we can expect:
1. Improved temperature regulation: Enhanced temperature regulation mechanisms.
2. Increased cognitive enhancement: Advanced cognitive enhancement capabilities.
3. Expanded applications: New applications in various fields.
By harnessing the power of BOS, individuals can safeguard their brain health and maintain optimal cognitive function, even in extreme environments.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
Features
Lotto wahala and Tuobodom palaver
In Sikaman lotto is not a game. It is a profession, a noble career which people aspire to. It is the highest paying profession after armed robbery and the most widespread job on this side of the Atlantic.
In places like China, lotto is a disease that has no cure. Once you are infected, no doctor on earth can cure you. May be Kofi Larteh, Ghana’s most celebrated magician, can help ease the symptoms, but no definitive cure will be forthcoming.
Coming back to Sikaman, lotto has been the financial messiah of many. That is how people look after their large families, pay school fees, marry two wives and do their own ‘monkey things.’
If you are very poor and you win a lottery, chances are that you will die before you even collect the money. You’ll die out of excitement or you’ll start day-dreaming in the streets and an articulated truck will hit you.
As such, very heavy wins are not recommended for poor people, lest they get listed too soon in the obituary columns.
The sad story is told of a heavy-duty caterpillar driver who had a very heavy lotto windfall of several millions, his first big win after several years.
CATERPILLAR
He was driving the caterpillar home when he saw his son running towards him, shouting. “All your numbers have dropped! All your numbers have dropped! He could not believe his ears.
All the four numbers he had staked had dropped and his son, who had gone to stake them for him, was himself over-excited. The poor caterpillar man just could not handle the good news. He suddenly stepped on the brakes and the caterpillar jolted him a trifle too violently, throwing him off. He landed right in front of the still moving heavy-duty machine and it crushed him flat.
I don’t think the bloke would have died if he had won a smaller amount. Sometimes too much cash is not good for the health.
Seldom, people get too confident and that can also result in a wake-keeping, like that of a man who used his lifetime savings and borrowed extra money to crack the machine with a two-sure that the compiler must compulsory drop or the world will end.
Even the shadows of the numbers or their counterparts were nowhere near the winning numbers. His shock-absorbers crumbled under the weight of the heavy disappointment. He crashed to the floor and started foaming at the mouth. He was declared dead on arrival at the nearest clinic.
WINDFALL
Recently, there was a countrywide lotto windfall, and in Kumasi it was more than a festival. Most stakers had between ¢30m and ¢40 million on two-sure that the lotto magicians had predicted at least three weeks earlier,
Kejetia chop bars were besieged with overnight millionaires, carrying huge appetites induced by Opeimu Bitters popularly called Opeimu Peters. All the meat and mudfish got sold out within an hour and procurement agents had to double up to restock.
While some were celebrating, others were weeping and gnashing teeth. The problem was that, three weeks beforehand, the two sure numbers were declared by all the lotto sorcerers, dreamers, magicians, tellers and all the self-appointed and self-promoted forecasters.
Everybody including 10-year-olds, who staked and lost. The following week, they were advised to continue staking. The faithful did continue but the faithless stopped. All of them lost. In the third week or so, a good number of confident stakers had lost faith in the two numbers. That was when the number landed.
So the windfall was for only those who had the unshakeable faith in the numbers. See what faith can do? It can move dollars. Don’t waver, so saith the holy scriptures.
The faithless indeed gnashed teeth. The winners on the other hand celebrated with a song that is as controversial as the business of lotto. It is a song played by the group called Nkasei and has something to do with a town in the Brong Ahafo Region called Tuobodom whose capital we hear is Jinijini.
I hear it is a derogatory song and the queen mother of Tuobodom got charged and breathed out electric current during her protest on air. She allegedly ended up demanding a mobile phone from Nkasei so that she could communicate with them to settle the matter peacefully, lest wahala.
Well, the song is rising up the charts and Nkasei are making the dough, but should it be at the expense of a whole townsfolk, their forebears and generations to come?
WATERPROOF
Waterproof, the famous comedian, was allegedly given hefty slaps at the Kumasi rail station by some Frafra jingoists who felt he was deriding their tribe. And Bob Okala had to run with his tail between his legs when he was confronted and realised that slaps were going to be visited on his lean face.
Let’s not use words and lyrics to cause discomfort to others.
This article was first published on Saturday July 9, 2005
