[ 2012-05-05 ]

Same sex marriage an abomination to the society - Archbishop Sarpong
Accra, May 04, GNA – The Most Reverend Peter
Akwasi Sarpong, Archbishop Emeritus of Kumasi, has
said same sex marriage was an abomination that had
entered the country and the church ought to
continue its campaign against the spread of such
marriages.

Archbishop Sarpong said the devils of political
intimidation, ignorance, abortion, rape, violence,
poverty and diseases were the wars that the
National Catholic Secretariat (NCS) had fought
over the past 50 years.

He made the pronouncement at the launch of the
50th anniversary of the NCS on Friday in Accra.

The anniversary launch was on the theme: “NCS @ 50
– The Church in Ghana in Service of
Reconciliation, Justice and Peace”.

Archbishop Sarpong said the question of justice
and peace forms part of the church's mission of
promoting human life through education, health,
and social welfare which alleviated poverty
therefore the church had entered the same arena as
the civil authority.

He said the human life was an indivisible unit
that was entrusted to the church whose duty it was
to care for human life through the administration
of holy sacraments such as baptism, confirmation,
the Eucharist, Priesthood etc.

“The involvement of the church affects the
obligation of the state where the church did not
act in parallel lines with the state but rather as
a partner acting on a complementary basis,
assisting the state where the state fell short” he
added.

He said “politicising the essential function of
the church could only be detrimental to the state
and the church must stand against political
intimidation, bigotry and deceit”.

Archbishop Sarpong said the golden Jubilee of the
NCS was meant for self-examination and stocktaking
and the church needed to demonstrate their service
through reconciliation, justice and peace to be
able to move the country forward.

Archbishop Sarpong said without criticism, freedom
yielded to totalitarianism, justice gave way to
exploitation, charity receded into ruthlessness,
and peace dissolves into rivalry and hostility.

Most Reverend Joseph Osei Bonsu, President of the
Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) in his good
will message, said the NCS was established in
order to advance the work of evangelism more
efficiently in the country.

He said over the past 50 years, the NCS had sought
to promote both the spiritual and material well
being of people in the performance of their work
in areas such as pastoral care, health, education
and communications.

Most Reverend Osei Bonsu said he was hopeful that
the 50th anniversary would bring restoration of
good relations to the church and the state as well
as championing justice and peace where people's
human rights would be respected.

He paid tribute to the founding fathers of the NCS
for their pioneering work amid great difficulties
and hardships.

The NCS established in 1960 is the executive arm
of the Bishops Conference which deliberates on
matters of concern to the churches and focuses
more on education, socio-economic development and
health care of the people.

Source - GNA

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