On the occasion of this year’s season of Advent which begun on Sunday 29th November 2020, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ conference issued a pastoral letter on the theme: “Welcoming Christ, Living in Peace with all”.
The letter signed by the president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh stated that the theme was inspired firstly by the spirit and character of the Advent season which invites all of us to prepare our minds and hearts to welcome Christ the Saviour at Christmas and secondly by the upcoming General elections on December 7 and the need to strive to live in peace in the period before, during and after the elections.
The advent season marks the beginning of a new year of worship. It is the Church’s season of beginnings, expectations, and hope, “…a season of firm confidence in a loving and kind God who continues to encounter us and call us towards a future full of new possibilities…”
The word of God invites all of us to live in peace with one another. In the book of Isaiah, the Prophet refers to the period of the Messiah as one of Messianic harmony where traditional enemies lived with one another in harmony and in peace (cf. Isaiah 2:4). “It is for this reason that we need to think of ourselves more as one family dwelling in a common homeland called Ghana” the pastoral letter stated.
St. Luke’s Gospel makes us aware that the birth of the Saviour of the world brought peace and humanity. However, it is ours to actualize and live this peace in our daily lives.
“this is why we wish to appeal once again to our fellow citizens to desire and actively work for peace before, during and after the December 7, 2020 elections”
The pastoral letter reiterated that elections are not war; elections are not about violence but an important democratic exercise in which all registered voters in Ghana exercise their right to vote to determine the direction for the development of our nation.
The Electoral Commission
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference rehashed its confidence in the Electoral Commission of Ghana to conduct a free, fair, and transparent elections and urged the commission to not become complacent in carrying out their constitutional duty.
Political Parties
They appealed to all political parties, their leaders and supporters and all citizens to live in peace and refrain from all activities that can disturb the peace of our dear nation.
“we pray that just as we have done on seven different occasions in the past, we will also hold this year’s elections so creditably that we can celebrate our growing democracy and the coming of the Saviour’s birth at Christmas in peace, harmony and joy” Most Reverend Philip Naameh
Source: Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference
