National Chaplain of the Inter-Tertiary Institutions Catholic Charismatic Renewal (ITI-CCR) Ghana, Rev. Fr. Ezekiel Sulley Farouk, has said some people have left the Catholic Church due to the attitudes of other Catholics.
Delivering a talk at this year’s ITI-CCR Conference at the Ndoum School of Business and Technology in the Cape Coast Archdiocese on March 2, Fr. Farouk emphasised the impact of the attitudes of individuals on other church members.
“Some people have left the Church because of our attitude towards them. Think about it. And in whatever way we all have contributed to somebody leaving, Jesus is not happy with us,” he lamented.
Fr. Farouk expressed concern particularly for the CCR community, stating, “In CCR in particular. And we must do all we can to bring them back because the sad reality is that, the Church has invested so much in them.”
He recounted a conference where pastors convened to strategize on “how to steal sheep” from other congregations. “From where? And sadly, sometimes we in failure to exhibit the fruit of the spirit, we push the sheep even further for them to be stolen,” he added.
Drawing from the parable of the prodigal son, Fr. Ezekiel emphasized the significance of fostering strong relationships within the Church. “If the elder brother had a good relationship with his younger brother, he would have counseled him not to leave. Have you contributed to people leaving the Church?” he questioned.
“We must get to a point that no matter what happens, to you in the Church, you would not leave,” Fr. Farouk urged.
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