Emeritus Archbishop Sarpong calls for political truth and integrity

The Metropolitan Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi has held a thanksgiving mass to commemorate 130 years of existence with a call on members to ensure political truth and integrity.

Emeritus Archbishop Peter Kwasi Sarpong said the quality and character of the members should lead to the building of an honest society, and they should insist that their leaders are men and women of honour.

“We need Catholics who unequivocally reject greed, selfishness and pride in their lives”, he told thousands of faithfuls that gathered at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi.

Emeritus Archbishop Sarpong asked the electorate not to serum to intimidation, threats, lies, deceits, politics’ of tribalism and unrealistic promises that have characterized the nation’s political experience.

“Yes, voting for the person you think would deliver the political goods does not mean and should not mean being enemies of those with different political views.

“Let us pray that once and for all, Ghana will be rid of the phenomenon of macho men, crude and unscrupulous propaganda machinery, and that God will help us not to continue to be witnesses to the ridiculous phenomenon of vote rigging, ballot boxes disappearing, prospective voters being driven away from where they want to go and vote, actual votes outnumbering the registered voters in a constituency and above all the inability of candidates to accept defeat.”

Emeritus Archbishop Sarpong recounted the history of the Church in Kumasi, and said its achievements had been highly remarkable.

In the Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo, the church now has an archdiocese, five dioceses, two universities, three colleges of education, two nurses’ training schools, three midwifery schools, two major and three minor seminaries.

Added to these are 51 formation houses, 18 senior high schools, 10 vocational schools, four technical schools, 245 junior high schools, 490 primary schools and 448 kindergartens.

Besides, it had established 14 hospitals and 20 clinics, two production pharmacies, five pastoral and four retreat or spiritual centres, two printing presses, four catechetical and a number of social centres.

Emeritus Archbishop Sarpong asked the church to continue to intensify its evangelization to win more souls for Christ.

Pope Benedict XVI, Head of the Catholic Church, in a message to congratulate the Archdiocese for attaining such a milestone, said it was his prayer that it would continue to grow from strength to strength.

He urged Christians in the country to live in peace with other religious groups.

The Kumasi Church was established in 1882 through the Society of African Missions by the late Father Augustus Moreau.**