Ghanaian Archbishop Urges Revival of Homes as “truly domestic churches”

In an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana, President Nana Akufo-Addo imposed a three-week partial lockdown in the cities of Kumasi, Accra and Tema in March. The President also suspended public worship in the country. 

Restrictions on public worship have now been relaxed and in the latest development, President Akufo-Addo extended the duration of worship from one hour to two hours. 

The West African nation has reported at least 35,142 cases of the novel coronavirus including 31,286 recoveries and 175 deaths.

Referencing gender-based violence that has increased in households since COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in the country in March, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle has, in the video message, warned against violence saying, “Those of us who have the tendency of inflicting violence on one another, my answer to you is, pray together.”

“Start by praying together, husband, wife, children,” the Ghanaian Archbishops says, adding that families that pray together get “God to live with them and help them overcome their challenges.”

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He goes on to encourage members of families to “eat together, read the scriptures together and know that Jesus is in your midst.”

“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am,” the 70-year-old Prelate says referencing Matthew’s Gospel and adds, “This is the only way we can overcome domestic violence and all the challenges that we go through.”

The Archbishop also encourages family members to make good use of the stay at home measure to know each other better.

“Husbands know your wives; wives know your husbands; children know your parents; parents know your children,” the Archbishop notes.

Just like the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep, the Prelate implores, “Let us lay down our lives for one another so that our homes become domestic churches where God is present because Jesus says, where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.” 

“May God bless all homes, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen,” Archbishop Palmer-Buckle concludes. 

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.