Use X'mas to promote welfare of children

Koforidua, Dec. 25, GNA - The Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, the Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, has called on society to use the celebration of Christmas to soberly consider the promotion of children's welfare because they are the future of society.

He said Christmas should "remind society of our co-responsibility for the guarantee of the physical, spiritual, material and educational growth of our children since they guarantee our future."

Preaching the sermon at a Christmas High Mass at Koforidua on Saturday, Bishop Palmer-Buckle noted with concern that some children had no future because of the denial of parental care, the lack of homes, food and education even though some adults prayed earnestly to God to have children.

Centring his sermon on the welfare of children as a basis for society's future, he told aspiring parents, "Don't just have children but wait till you are sure that you have the resources to guarantee their welfare".

Bishop Palmer-Buckle referred to the presents made to the child Jesus at his birth by the shepherds and the Three Wise men and explained that every child should be regarded as a divine being who must be well-nurtured, protected and empowered to grow fully to be of future service to society.

The prelate asked parents, especially men, who had abandoned their children, to "go and bring them home this Christmas to feed, clothe and assume your responsibilities towards them to glorify God."

At the Adweso Calvary Methodist Church, near Koforidua, Rev. Emmanuel B. Asenso, the priest in-charge called on Christians to learn from the Christmas story to sacrifice for the good of the country. He said for Jesus Christ to be born, Mary and Joseph, the parents, had to make a lot of scarifies for the Messiah to be born and die to reconcile God and man.