The Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, Most Rev. Alfred Agyenta, has decried internal abuses within the liturgy of the Catholic Church in Ghana, stating that it undermines the sacredness of the Eucharistic mystery.
He observed that the internal abuses are in the form of foreign elements introduced by some Priests which he argued tend to obscure the mystery of the Eucharistic presence that we celebrate leading to a poor Eucharistic Adoration.
Bishop Agyenta made these remarks in a reflection on the Holy Hour of preparation towards the celebration of a Eucharistic Adoration during the 10th National Sacred Heart of Jesus Congress and Golden Jubilee of the National Sacred Heart of Jesus Enthronement Centre at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale on September 5, 2024.
He explained that given the fact that there is an intimate link between the Eucharistic Adoration and the Eucharistic Celebration where Jesus makes Himself present to His people in the form of bread and wine, whatever happens within the Eucharistic Celebration has some repercussions on our Eucharistic Adorations. “If we fail to grasp and reverence the mystery that we celebrate in the Mass, we will fail to appreciate and reverence the mystery that we behold in our Eucharistic Adoration”, he stressed.
In this regard, he lamented that the abuses that occur within our Eucharistic Celebrations are sometimes carried out by some Priests in the name of innovation and creativity or out of spiritual enthusiasm.
He called on all to help stop these abuses. “Therefore, we must all help to stop these abuses that undermine our Eucharistic mystery”, he charged.
Turning his attention to the foreign attacks on the Church, the Bishop referred to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games held in Paris, France, recently where the Last Supper scene of Jesus and His disciples was mocked and ridiculed by an identifiable group of people. He said during the ceremony, the organisers chose to make a mockery of the Last Supper by having men known as “drag queens” dress like women representing the apostles sitting around the table with the Lord, and on top of the table was an almost naked man lying on it.
“From all intents and purpose, it was very clear that the group behind this offensive act against Christians and more specially Catholics, was the LGBTQT community”, he asserted.
He added, “The message of this group was very clear to the whole world. Firstly, that their number one enemy is the Catholic Church which opposes very vehemently homosexuality and same-sex marriages and secondly, the group chose to hit where it hurts the Catholic Church most, namely the most sacred ritual that we hold so dearly, the Eucharistic Celebration”, he observed.
The Bishop said as Christians, our response to these offensive provocations should be what we do best, namely to pray for those who attack us, those who offend us and those who mock our faith and practice. He urged devotees of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to intensify the reparation for the sins against Him. “Margret Mary Alacoque has invited us to console Jesus for the sins and ingratitude of humanity through our prayers and works of penance”, he stated.
He said knowing now that the LGBTQT community holds the Catholic Church as their number one enemy, he called on Catholics in Ghana to intensify their prayers and support for the assent to the Bill for the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. By so doing, “We are not only protecting our sacred rituals from abuse and attack by external forces, but also protecting the sanctity of our families and guaranteeing the future of our children”, he argued.
From Francis E. Monnie, CAMP-G
