Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Accra (Agenzia Fides) - Corruption, widespread of drugs, immorality are the evils that threaten the nation, according to a New Year Message from the Bishops of Ghana.
The message, signed by His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, Bishop of Konongo-Mampong and President of the Episcopal Conference of Ghana, denounces "the twin evils of bribery and corruption that continue to ravage every fabric of the Ghanaian society". Corruption is found in some of the following categories of people and institutions: politicians, the judiciary, the security agencies... pastors and traditional priests. If people were guided in their consciences by integrity and honesty, the document states "Ghana would be a better place than it is today".
Other evils afflicting the nation, according to the Bishops are permissiveness, casual sex and its attendant evils, for example, the termination of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including the incurable HIV-AIDS, taking of illicit drugs such as cocaine and Indian hemp, drunkenness, internet fraud and "other forms of fraud that are destroying the nation".
In order to address these evils, the Bishops in their message urged Ghanaians to "take their religion seriously". "Whether we are Christians or Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists, Shintoists or practitioners of African Traditional Religion, let us apply the tenets of our religion to our daily lives so that we can lead morally good lives and be good citizens", says the message that also highlights the need to cultivate the spirit of forgiveness, putting an end "to the widespread practice of invoking curses at shrines like that of Antoa in the Ashanti Region or of Nogokpo in the Volta Region to kill those who have wronged us".
The Bishops also warn "priests, pastors and ministers not to take advantage of those who go to them with confidence in search of solutions to their spiritual and other problems. The attraction of money and other material benefits should not lead priests, pastors and ministers to distort the gospel of Jesus Christ and to exploit financially and sexually the vulnerable people who go to them seeking spiritual assistance". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 02/01/2015)
