A priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra-Ghana, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obeng Codjoe has sparked a crucial conversation about the Church’s approach to marriage rites in Africa.
In a recent article titled “letter to Archbishop Dominic Kodwo Andoh-thoughts about Africa,” Fr. Codjoe asked the need for “double marriage ceremonies,” advocating for a more inclusive and culturally sensitive approach within the Church’s practices.
In the piece, Fr. Codjoe questioned the necessity of holding separate ceremonies for traditional and ecclesiastical marriages. “Do our parishioners need to have ‘double marriage ceremonies?’ Can’t we have the two infused? What of our traditional naming ceremony and baptism? ” he quizzed.
In a follow up interview with Catholic Trends, he proposed that the Church could “Baptize customary marriage” in which case you cannot marry more than one. If that is done I do not have an issue with that. So some of these dictates would have to be determined for Ghanaian Catholics for example to be able to have just customary marriages that are accepted and recognised by the Church.”
He added that pre-nuptial investigations, banns, counselling and all requirements for Church marriage be maintained while only one ceremony is held.
The Priest called for a collaborative effort among experts, including canonists, liturgists, anthropologists, theologians, and philosophers, to address these issues effectively. He expressed frustration with the disconnect between academic achievements of priests and their tangible impact.
“I am no expert, let the experts do their work. But who will call the experts to do this work? We cannot just be eager to acquire degrees as priests and be walking around making no impact for our people. Aaah, you have a doctorate or a master’s and so what? Let us be humble and effect change. Our people are suffering economically and also spiritually. Many want to take Holy Communion but are unable! Of course, we cannot make a band wagon on the reception of Holy Communion but let us look at each case,” he said.
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LETTER TO ARCHBISHOP DOMINIC KODWO ANDOH (THOUGHTS ABOUT AFRICA)
Your Grace, I bring you greetings from Osu! It hasn’t been easy these few weeks with my workload, but this week is better, and that is why I’m able to write to you😂.
Your Grace, the Church in 🇬🇭 will have a send-off ceremony for Archbishop Henryk Mieczysław Jagodzinski, the Apostolic Nuncio, on 2nd July, 2024 at Christ the King Parish, Cantonments, at 10am. I know you will be there but I cannot make it. Tuesdays are currently the most packed days in Legon. I wish him well.
“DD JCD”, Rev. Fr. Michael Okyerefo, a priest from the Diocese of Ho and a full professor of Sociology (in fact, he will have an inaugural lecture soon), is taking me through a course in African Social Thought. The more I read, the more I get so devastated from all angles. The role some actors in the Church played in slavery and colonialism is repulsive and unfortunate. May God forgive us. As a result of this phenomenon, security and governance, our economic stability and our cultural identity are all in LIMBO.
Nana, eeeeiiiii so this one that we have BURIED Pan-Africanism, will Africa indeed, rise? Our leaders, the very people we have given our POWER to, seem not to be bothered at all. Gracious God, what can we actually do now? You have given us wisdom, knowledge and natural resources, but the result is in an INVERSE direction to prosperity. Yes, the slave trade and colonialism were a double plague, likened to plants being attacked by locust as Adekeye Adebajo opines. What is Africa, the Caribbeans and the rest of the Black world going to do? Gosh! Neocolonialism has engulfed us. Some of our African elites to change the narrative have left us due to our POISONOUS ‘PHD’ (pull him down) attitudes.
Nana, I weep for Africa because I have no idea what the younger generation are learning from us the adults. Institutionalized means to attaining cultural goals as Robert Merton mentions, have been greatly abrogated, and avarice is now our OXYGEN. Your Grace, pray for us. But we cannot continue as a Church to pray every day for the Nation at Holy Mass and ignore the necessity to make conscious efforts at looking at the public sphere (in the thoughts of Jürgen Habermas) and get involved. Well, inasmuch as a lot must come from leadership, and for that matter, a UNITED Bishops Conference (as Bishop Essien mentioned at Ho during the 50th Episcopal Ordination Anniversary of Bishop Lodonu), irrespective of the government in power, each of us must put down our PARTISAN POLITICAL LENS and think of the good of 🇬🇭 and Africa.
Nana, is there an “African Voice” in the Vatican space? This, I believe could destroy some of the man-made chains around our LAITY due to our CULTURE. Your brother, Archbishop Sarpong, comes to mind. He has toiled and laboured for the African culture. As a neophyte in the study of Sociology, I seemingly understand him so well as an Anthropologist. Do our parishioners need to have “double marriage ceremonies?” Can’t we have the two infused? What of our traditional naming ceremony and baptism? Anyway, this is why the Canonist, the Liturgist, the Anthropologist, the Theologian, the Philosopher and all others, must work together for the good of the Church in Africa
Well, Nana, I am no expert, let the experts do their work. But who will call the experts to do this work?We cannot just be eager to acquire degrees as priests and be walking around making no impact for our people. Aaah, you have a doctorate or a master’s and so what? Rubbish! Nana, sorry 😞! Let us be humble and effect change. Our people are suffering economically and also spiritually. Many want to take Holy Communion but are unable! Of course, we cannot make a band wagon on the reception of Holy Communion but let us look at each case.Nana, let me end here. There are a lot to be done. We cannot do all today! But we must initiative and consciously have a succession plan to continue the agenda. A brother priest sent me the title of a book, “The St. Gallen Mafia: Exposing the Secret Reformist Group Within the Church” by Julia Meloni. I hope to get a copy soon but what I have been saying to myself is this, if these Prelates were able to meet for years in Innsbruck with this agenda, what excuse do we have, not to meet and THINK ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE CHURCH IN AFRICA IN THE LIGHT OF GENUINE FAITH?
“JCD DD”, let me kindly end here. Nana, I ❤️ you. Greetings to all, especially Rev. Fr. Alexander Nkansah. Please tell him, I miss him.
Your grandson,
Kwaku Obeng
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