“There must be renewal, revival, restoration,” Priest Challenges Ghana’s Charismatic to Live Credible Christian Witness

“There must be a renewal, a revival, and a restoration in our bid to live the new life in Christ,” Fr. Mensah said, emphasizing that Christian faith must result in concrete personal and social transformation.

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

Addressing CCR members but clearly extending his message to the broader Catholic community, the Ghanaian Catholic Priest linked many contemporary social crises to a failure of Christian witness. 

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

“The many troubles in our world are mostly caused by Christians. We should live truthfully and avoid double-standard living in our daily lives,” he said.

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

Fr. Mensah warned against reducing Christianity to external practices detached from moral responsibility. “The Christian life is not just observation of rituals, gestures or symbols. It is not just the profession of the creed. It is about how we live what we have come to believe,” he told CCR members in Accra Archdiocese. 

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

Drawing on imagery familiar to African Christian spirituality, he described Christian identity as something that must be visibly “worn” in daily life. “The new life in Christ means you must be properly clad. So that when people see you, they immediately recognize you are a true Christian,” he said, adding that this “cloak” should be marked by “love, mercy, forgiveness, and truthfulness.”

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

The Ghanaian Catholic Priest stressed that conversion is not merely spiritual enthusiasm but disciplined growth. “New life in Christ Jesus means adding value to your life to become more effective. So in witnessing, you must add value to your Christian life,” he said, noting that credibility in evangelization depends on personal integrity.

He went on to connect the call to renewal with mercy and reconciliation, highlighting forgiveness as a non-negotiable Christian virtue. Living the new life, he said, should help believers “become merciful so as to forgive our neighbours when they offend us.”

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

Fr. Mensah also reflected on Catholic worship and commitment, framing them within an eternal perspective. “The advantage as a Catholic believer is that you are investing in your salvation and in eternity,” he said, and continued, “By our commitment and dedication to the Christian faith, we are storing up our treasure in heaven.”

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

(Story continues below)

He suggested that a deeper understanding of this spiritual investment should reshape attitudes toward prayer and communal worship. “If we really understand it, it will change our attitude towards the prayer meeting,” he added.

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

In remarks that speak directly to contemporary African realities, especially among young Catholics on the continent, Fr. Mensah cautioned against digital distractions that undermine spiritual discipline. “Nowadays, all attention is on mobile phones to the neglect of our Bibles. Be careful about that and avoid it,” he warned.

Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

Encouraging daily engagement with Scripture, he said, “When you wake up early in the morning, have your quiet time before you walk out of the house. If you are a Christian and you do not have your quiet time, it is a recipe for disaster.”

Fr. Filton Mensah delivering his sermon on the theme: new life in Christ. Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Coast/Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric

In his January 25 homily, Fr. Mensah reminded believers that Christian life is inherently missionary. “Remember you have been sent as a witness to live the Gospel every day,” he said, urging Catholics to let “the new life of Christ show in you now and forever.”

Fr. Francis Madonna Ayaric of Cape Coast Catholic Archdiocese contributed to this story