Leadership failure leads to high rate of disease, says bishop

Accra, 4 Aug, GNA - Most Rev. Joseph Francis Kweku Essien, Episcopal Chairman of the Department of Pastoral Care of the Catholic Church, on Saturday attributed the high rate of sickness such as HIV/AIDS and psychiatric disorder to leadership failure at family, community and national levels.

He said many, especially the youth, had been left without direction and were forced to grope in the dark and made mistakes. In a speech read on his behalf at the launch of a manual for Pastoral Caregivers and Inauguration of Catholic Pastoral Association, Most Rev Essien said the world was full of turmoil and affliction resulting from economic collapse and natural disasters in many countries bringing in their wake poverty and emotional distress. Most Rev. Essien said the church could not be blind to all these and must ensure to exhibit compassion and sympathize with those who grief or suffer as well as provide an environment where everyone was his neighbour's keeper.

He said the manual would give a renewed impetus or reach out to the needy men and women, young and old, Catholics and non-Catholics alike. "We have been too cosy in our comfort zones. Its time to rise up and go about our Father's business and to do the work for Him who sent us while it is still day for night comes when on one can work," he said. He called on all to be up and doing to ensure that the association was able to make a difference and impact positively on the church's life and that of individuals.

Fr. Koos Janssen, Executive Secretary of the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS), said the Department of Pastoral Care of NCS found it necessary to reach out to people who needed attention and loving care because that was the duty of every Christian. He said the manual was meant for the training of trainers and more people would be trained. Mrs. Mary Ackumey of the Counselling Unit of the University of Education Winneba who reviewed the manual, said the manual was user friendly.

She said it was useful since it contained topics on self-discovery, time management, conflict management, Christian foundation and spirituality of caregivers as well as information on HIV/AIDS. The first five copies of the manual were auctioned for 10 million Cedis (1,000 Ghana cedis).