NO BLESSING FOR HOMOSEXUAL COUPLES IN THE AFRICAN CHURCHES
Synthesis of the responses from the African Episcopal Conferences to the Declaration Fiducia Supplicans Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Grace and Peace! The message that I transmit to you today has received the agreement of His Holiness Pope Francis and of His Eminence Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. It presents a consolidated summary of the positions adopted by various National and Inter-territorial Episcopal Conferences across the African continent, in response to the publication of the Declaration Fiducia supplicans of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith of December 18, 2023. Within the Church family of God in Africa, this Declaration has caused a shockwave, it has sown misconceptions and unrest in the minds of many lay faithful, consecrated persons and even pastors and has aroused strong reactions. The synthesis of the responses of the African Episcopal Conferences highlights ...
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE GHANA CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE ON “THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE STATE ON HOMOSEXUALITY”
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Galatians 1:3-5 NRSV) We, the members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, in the light of recent discussions among many Ghanaians on homosexuality and on whether or not it should be criminalized, have seen the need to address the theme “The Catholic Church and the State on Homosexuality”. Homosexuality may be defined as sexual interest in and attraction to members of one’s own sex. We will begin by stating what the position of the Catholic Church is on homosexuality ...
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE GHANA CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE AT THE END OF ITS ANNUAL PLENARY ASSEMBLY HELD IN SUNYANI IN THE BONO REGION OF GHANA NOVEMBER 6 – 18, 2023
We, the members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, have held our annual Plenary Assembly at the Catholic Diocesan Pastoral and Social Centre in Sunyani in the Bono Region of Ghana from November 6 to 18, 2023 under the theme: “Fostering the growth of the Catholic Church in Ghana through Collaborative Ministry”. Our theme was inspired by the decline in the percentage of the Catholic population since the year 2000 as well as the Synod on Synodality (2021-2024). Find attached the complete communique ...
Keynote Address by President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) at the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Plenary Assembly held in the Sunyani Diocese–Sunyani On Monday, November 13, 2023
The Church in Ghana is commissioned to evangelize; that is to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ the Lord to all peoples. Full authority has been given to me both in heaven and on earth; go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always, until the end of the world (Mt. 28:18-20). This command to evangelize is given to all the baptized of the Church—Bishops, Priests, Religious and Christ’s Lay Faithful. We carry out this duty individually and most importantly, we share this duty in the spirit of collaboration amongst the different segments of the Church. According to the Ghana 2021 Population and Housing Census (2021 PHC), though the population of Christians in general isgrowing, ...
