By Isaac Fritz Andoh
Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, has urged parents to open their eyes and be alert in the wake of the recent kidnapping of children from some Churches.
He said this in a homily at the Holy Spirit Cathedral on Christmas Day, advising parents to let their “eyes follow their children everywhere they are”.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle described the kidnapping as “wickedness of the worst order”.
Recently, the Police arrested two miscreants for kidnapping some children from Churches in the Accra Metropolis with the view to forcing their parents to pay ransom before they were released.
The operations of the kidnappers were nipped in the bud by swift action by the Police.
The Archbishop said children were beautiful gifts of God and should not be destroyed or subjected to any acts of violence.
He also condemned sexual and other forms of abuse against children.
The Archbishop asked parents to invest in their children as future leaders of the country, urging teachers to be cautious with their language in other not to scandalise them.
He urged the congregation to love every child whether he or she is their biological child or not.
In a homily on New Year Day, the Archbishop made reference to Pope Francis’ World Day of Peace message, a day of prayer for peace all over the world.
Saying that fraternity was the foundation and pathway to peace, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said “the Pope is telling us that to have peace, we must acknowledge that we are all brothers and sisters”.
Catholics and Believers are being called to be each other’s keeper, adding that the Christian “is being called to love his neighbour as himself so that the world can be a better place.”
The Archbishop asked the congregation to do everything they could to bring togetherness in society irrespective of political affiliation or tribe.