Archbishop challenges Ghanaian Catholics to produce holy politicians

22 Nov 2013

By The Record

Catholics carry the offertory gifts during a June 9 Mass celebrated by Cardinal Peter Turkson of Cape Coast, Ghana, during his two-day pastoral visit to the small village of Ekumfi Nanaben. At the Mass, he confirmed more than a dozen people. PHOTO: CNS/Joshua Roberts

Retired Archbishop Thomas Kwaku Mensah of Kumasi challenged Ghanaian Catholics to produce holy politicians endowed with the fear of God and who want to serve the nation selflessly rather than be served.

“We need Catholics who will set the example in political truth and integrity, who by their quality and character of their life will contribute toward the creation of (an honorable) society,” he said in a homily at a Mass celebrating the end of the Year of Faith. The mid-November Mass also marked the 40th anniversary of the Sunyani Diocese and the 10th anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi of Sunyani.

Archbishop Mensah said Christians could only respond to the call for a new evangelization “through an authentic witness of life where there is no dichotomy between what we pray on our knees on Sundays and what we do with our feet on Mondays.”

In themes that echoed a statement put out by the Ghanaian bishops Nov. 15, at the end of their general meeting, Archbishop Mensah reminded Catholics that the Gospel rejects greed, avarice and selfishness and affirms benevolence and generosity and denounces all forms of injustice. He urged all Catholics to focus on issues such as social justice, respect for the environment and eradication of poverty.

He also asked the faithful to reject serving “the god of greed and envy, the god of lies and sexual aberration (homosexuality), the god of ethnocentrisms and tribalism, the god of bribery and corruption” — all of which were restricting the nation’s advancement.

“Our call to a new evangelization should begin with the renewal of our hearts and minds,” he said, urging people to examine their consciences “since we cannot bring Christ to others unless we know him and try to imitate him.”

Bishop Gyamfi presided over the Mass at Christ the King Cathedral. He concelebrated with 15 other bishops, including Bishop Joseph Osei-Bonsu of Konongo-Mampong, president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference. – CNS