By Gordon Wellu
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The Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, Most Rev. Peter K. Sarpong, says that after 50 years of independence, the behaviour of the Ghanaian Christian has not enriched the country’s motto of Freedom and Justice.
Archbishop Sarpong said this in a sermon at a Joint Ecumenical Service between the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Heads of Member Churches of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Osu in Accra.
It was under the theme Love One Another As I have Loved You (John 13:34).
Archbishop Sarpong said Ghana was yet to free herself from tribal arrogance and ethnocentrism, the spirit of cheating, selfishness and greed.
Ghana, he noted, has been plunged into a cultural, social, economic, and religious chaos, while “we judge our neighbours wrongly, wickedly, uncharitably and falsely”.
With all these, it was not possible for Ghanaians to truly love, he added.
The Metropolitan Archbishop stated that going by Christ’s unconditional and unrestricted love for mankind, Ghanaians must not discriminate against one another on ethnic lines, party affiliation or religious persuasion.
He called on Pastors to stop propagating hatred, accusing people of witchcraft and condemning other people’s religion.
Archbishop Sarpong exhorted all o do good without expecting any reward in return.
“We must do good to that prostitute, that thief, that friend, that teacher, that husband, that dying pauper, that wife because he or she is our brother or sister … we have the same creator-father, God; the same brother-Saviour, Jesus Christ,” the Prelate added.
The Ecumenical Service was the concluding part of an annual Joint Meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Heads of Churches of the CCG.
They meet once a year in May to deliberate on issues that foster unity and Ecumenism, as well as address issues of national and international concern.
This year, some of the issues that engaged their attention were youth development policy, Christian Private Universities, education, Ghana @ 50 celebrations, surface mining, the Trust Bill, Election 2008 and devastation of farms by Fulani Herdsmen.
In all, 21 Catholic Bishops attended the Ecumenical Service.
They included His Eminence Peter Cardinal Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast, the President of the Bishop’s Conference, Most Rev. Lucas Abadamloora, also the Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Archbishop of Accra and Most Rev. Gregory Kpiebaya, Archbishop of Tamale.
Also present were Catholic Priests including Rev. Msgr. Seth Osei-Agyemang, Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS), Very Rev. Fr. Augustine Adams, Executive Secretary of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Dialogue Department of the NCS and Rev. Fr. Nicholas Afriyie, Assistant Secretary General of the NCS.
Among the leaders of the CCG were Rt. Rev. Yaw Frimpong Manso, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and Chairman of the CCG, Rt. Rev. Stephen Asante, Vice Chairman of the CCG, Rev. Dr. Paul Fynn, immediate past Chairman of CCG and Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, General Secretary of the CCG.
Intercessory prayers were said for peace and love among Ghanaians to work towards economic independence, integrity and charity.
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