A priest of the Catholic Diocese of Obuasi in Ghana, Rev. Fr. Joseph Nyarko Asare has criticised the practice of using work hours for personal prayer without permission, calling it “unjust and unchristian.”
In a post shared on Facebook, Fr. Asare emphasised the importance of adhering to contract agreements and respecting employer expectations.
“When you are paid because of a contract agreement with your employer, whatever does not concern the business hours should not be done during the contract hours unless permission has been duly sought for that purpose,” he stated.
He urged Christians to be mindful of their work commitments, particularly if they wish to engage in personal activities like prayer during these times.
“Please, Christians, if it is not break or with permission, do not use contact hours of your contract to pray. It is both unjust and unchristian to take wages for hours not spent for the employer,” Fr. Asare noted.
The priest framed the issue within a broader moral context, noting that respecting work hours is an expression of loving one’s neighbor, including one’s employer. “This is loving your neighbour (employer) like Jesus,” he concluded, reinforcing that ethical behavior at work reflects Christian values.