Palmer-Buckle denounces moral decadence, corruption

The Catholic Archbishop of Cape Coast, Most Reverend Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, has decried the moral decadence and corruption that, according to him, have taken deep root in the country.

He said the recent happenings in the banking sector and the impunity of some political vigilante groups were a testament of how many people had embraced evil.

“In the last two to three weeks in Ghana, we have heard about how banks have taken money and failed to use them for their intended purpose.

“When you don’t belong to a political party, you don’t get anything, and the tendency is to say ‘evil is victorious so let me also be evil’, but don’t,’’ he said.

Labyrinth

Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle, who is also the Apostolic Administrator of the Accra Archdiocese, made the comments last Saturday in a sermon to dedicate a labyrinth at the Archbishop Dominic Andoh Catechetical Centre at Kordiabe in the Dangme West District in the Greater Accra Region.

The labyrinth, which is a meditational ground, has a statue of the Virgin Mary.

The dedication attracted many Catholics, who used the occasion to renew their faith and pray for the country and their church.

Sex scandals

Touching on the sexual molestation by some priests across the world, Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle called on Catholics not to backslide, despite what he described as the ‘sins’ of priests of the church.

According to him, revelations of sexual abuse of minors by certain priests of the church in some countries had the tendency to erode the faith of many Catholics and force them to give up on living a chaste life.

“You have heard about priests and bishops who have been involved in homosexual practices. How can these people preach about God, Christ and holiness, yet they are so sinful?

“It is, therefore, tempting to give up on doing the right thing, but don’t give up because that is the temptation of the devil,’’ he said.

Most Rev. Palmer Buckle’s appeal to the Catholic faithful comes barely a week after a grand jury in the United States of America’s (USA’s) State of Pennsylvania revealed many incidents of sexual assault on children by priests in the Pennsylvania Archdiocese of the church.

According to the report released on August 14, 2018, more than 300 Catholic priests in six dioceses of the Pennsylvania Archdiocese allegedly abused more than 1,000 children sexually over a period dating back to 1947.

The report criticised the Roman Catholic Church for failing to adequately address the issue, shielding the offenders and “concealing the truth”.

In its reaction to the report, the Vatican condemned all acts of sexual abuse by priests and said it would treat the report with all the seriousness that it deserved.

Catechetical centre

The Catechetical centre was built by a former Archbishop of the Accra Archdiocese, Most Rev. Dominic Andoh, in 2000 to serve as a prayer and retreat centre.

Apart from its serene environment, the centre has a botanical garden and other beautiful sights of nature.

The Director of the centre, Rev. Father Richard Ayivi Aziati, said as a prayer ground, the centre was not only for Catholics, but was opened to people of other denominations.

“People from all churches come here to pray. Here, we sit at the feet of Jesus just like the disciples and allow Jesus to instruct and teach us how to pray,” he stated.

Writer’s email: emma.hawkson@graphic.com.gh