Catholic priest condemns materialization of marriage

A Catholic priest at Suma-Ahenkro has said materialisation of marriage rites nowadays was eroding its value.

The Rev. Fr Emmanuel Weijah, Parish Priest of the Saint Peter’s Catholic Church at Suma-Ahenkro in the Jaman-North District, said this in a homily during a wedding ceremony at Koti near Suma-Ahenkro.

He expressed regret at the attitude of would-be couples and guests in recent times that rendered the rite of marriage as a mere elegant and fashionable event.

Rev. Fr. Weijah said, “It is time for the society to realize that marriage is a holy matrimonial sacrament, a sanctified, dignified and consecrated rite for matured people instituted by the Most High God”.

He said the essence of it was for mutual intimacy and an everlasting covenant that forged common front, unity, friendship, solidarity, alliance and perpetual relationship.

Rev. Fr. Weijah appealed to parents, guardians and family heads not to arrange marriages based on factors like education, health, religious, social and economic status because they contributed greatly to the fashionable dimension marriage rites had taken now.

He added that marriage was aimed at exchanging a couple’s ideas, feelings and emotions and cautioned guests at wedding ceremonies and anniversaries to refrain from displaying antics such as shouting and unnecessary screaming.

Rev. Fr. Weijah also expressed dissatisfaction about the extent to which, even the elite among the guests, urged bridegrooms and brides to kiss at wedding ceremonies and therefore advised Christians to desist from “displaying such unnecessary antics”.

He said good and quality health implied right state of spiritual, mental and physical well- being and advised young men and women to avoid hard drugs and excessive intake of alcohol.