Among the multiple allegations, he says, is “vacation of post for some time now (since January 2025) without due recourse to your parish Priest or to me, which is a grave violation of law as stipulated in canon 1396”.
In the letter, Archbishop Naameh cites the highlighted Canon, stating, “A person who gravely violates the obligation of residence to which he is bound by reason of an ecclesiastical office is to be punished with a just penalty, not excluding, after a warning, deprivation of the office.”
He explains that the suspension is based on his observation that despite various attempts and proceedings to make amends, the Priest has remained “adamant” to his instructions and chosen to do what pleases him.
In remaining adamant, the Local Ordinary of Tamale says the Priest has manifested “his gross disrespect, disregard, and disobedience to me, your competent and legitimate superior, which are clear external manifestations of a deliberate attempt to disobey me, which are considered grave and punishable.”
Fr. Minnow has also not been responding to corrections thereby aggravating his situation, Archbishop Naameh laments.
The Ghanaian Archbishop says that he has “made several fruitless attempts through admonishment, fraternal corrections and other means stipulated in canons 1339 and 1341 of the revised Book VI of the Code of Canon Law” to initiate reforms in Fr. Minnow in view of avoiding scandal.
Archbishop Naameh further states that “indeterminately the expiatory penalties mentioned in canon 1336 § 3, nos. 2-7”, which include prohibitions to reside “in a certain place or territory”, to exercise certain ministries, to perform “all or some acts of the power of order ... governance”, to use “insignia or titles”, to participate “with a right to vote in ecclesial councils or colleges”, and to vest “ecclesiastical or religious dress”, apply to Fr. Minnow.
Based on Canon 1336 § 4, the Ghanaian Catholic Priest is also deprived of “all offices, duties, ministries or functions; of the faculty of hearing confessions or of preaching; of a delegated power of governance; and of some right or privilege or insignia or title,” the Local Ordinary of Tamale, who started his Episcopal Ministry in Ghana’s Catholic Diocese of Damongo in May 1995 states.
Further, the suspended Priest is deprived of “all ecclesiastical remuneration or part of it, in accordance with the guidelines established by the Episcopal Conference, without prejudice to the provision of can. 1350 § 1,”
“If after six (6) months continuously, I do not receive any information of your whereabouts or of your return to the diocese, I shall proceed to initiate other stiffer penalties, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state as indicated in canon 1392,” the 76-year-old Catholic Archbishop warns, adding, “You have the right to appeal within fifteen (15) days to me.”
