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“We must fight societal indiscipline with zeal,” Cleric in Ghana Urges Christians, Muslims

Fr. Bonaventure Quaidoo outgoing parish Priest of St. Stephen Catholic Church at Darkuman in Accra with Children of the Catholic Youth Organisation (CYO) during his send-off Mass on Sunday, September 20, 2020.

A Catholic Priest in Ghana’s Accra Archdiocese has expressed concern over rising cases of indiscipline and lack of respect for elders and family values, a situation he says calls for total change of heart of the people of God in the West African country who he says go to churches and mosques in large numbers.

“Sixty to seventy percent of Ghanaian Muslims go to Mosques on Fridays, Adventists go to Church on Saturdays and Christians on Sundays. How come they commit the very atrocities that are contrary to the Bible or Quran?” Fr. Bonaventure Quaidoo, Parish Priest of St. Stephen Catholic Church at Darkuman, Accra asked on Sunday, September 20.

In a homily during a send-off Mass upon his transfer to another Parish, he lamented that “the canker of corruption, an act of indiscipline, is almost everywhere in the Church and political sphere and lack of concern by those in leadership positions.”

“We must go back to the basic set of society which is the family and teach children how to live by the Gospel values,” he said.

There has been a recent reshuffle among the Priests in the Accra Archdiocese with many Priests being transferred to new Parishes effective October 1. In view of that, Parishes are organizing send-off Masses for their Priests in appreciation for their dedicated service to the Church.

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Fr. Quaidoo, who has been transferred to St. Monica Rectorate, Fan Milk, a suburb of Accra, said, “It is time Christians and Muslims in Ghana exhibit selflessness in their responsibilities to make life easy for all in truth and trust. In order to achieve this, people belonging to families must re-strategize to embrace the Gospel of God.”

He asked leaders of the various religions in the West African country to wage a crusade against indiscipline and also find better ways of fighting corruption in their sects, calling for a vehement denunciation of injustices as part of the evangelization mission of the Religious bodies.

He said raising public and civic awareness of the harmful effects of indiscipline and corruption on the national development effort will be a means to dissuade people from the practice.

He particularly urged Catholics in the West African country to make every effort to tackle the canker of corruption in the various strata of society as a way of attempting to evangelize the nation.

He further asked Catholics to champion the cause of justice through “our dealings with our fellow human beings,” saying that “there is the need for justice both in the secular world which we live and in the Church.”

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Bemoaning indiscipline and lack of respect for the elderly by the youth, the 62-year-old Cleric said parents have a duty and responsibility to instill in their children family values and to teach them how to live by the gospel values, adding that “COVID-19 has indeed brought families together during lockdowns.”

“Let us allow the Word of God to melt, mold and use us. We must make a firm commitment to accept the Gospel of God in our hearts. We need to allow the Word of God to nourish, renew, deepen and strengthen our faith to change society from evils,” the Ghanaian Cleric implored.